Family Holds Symbolic Funeral For Missing 22 Year Old After Vadodara Bridge Collapse
Vadodara: As search efforts stretched into the sixth day with no sign of 22-year-old Vikramsinh Padhiyar, missing since the collapse of a bridge over the Mahisagar river, his grieving family gathered Monday on the riverbank to perform symbolic last rites in the absence of his body.
The young man’s relatives, overwhelmed by the prolonged uncertainty, carried an effigy representing Vikramsinh to the river’s edge and conducted a ritual farewell, an emotional act meant to bring some semblance of closure amid continued heartbreak. His father, brothers, and grandfather participated in the symbolic ceremony while his wife and mother, described as inconsolable, remained in mourning.
Vikramsinh, a resident of Narsingpura village, was riding his two-wheeler across the Mujpur-Gambhira bridge on June 9 when a section suddenly gave way, plunging vehicles into the river below. Though his scooter has since been recovered from the riverbank, his body remains missing. Officials suspect the strong river currents may have swept it away.
“We never thought a celebration would turn into tragedy. He had just celebrated his daughter’s first birthday,” said Arjunsinh Padhiyar, a distant relative, speaking on behalf of the devastated family. “We performed the rites not because we’ve accepted this, but because we needed something to hold on to.”
Despite the pain of unanswered questions, the family was advised by authorities that after nearly a week, the chances of recovering Vikramsinh’s body are slim. The National and State Disaster Response Forces continue their search, attempting to break through slabs of concrete and a collapsed girder to uncover any remaining victims.
Vadodara District Collector Anil Dhameliya confirmed that while 20 bodies have been recovered so far, compensation procedures have now begun for all affected families, including that of Vikramsinh. “A special committee has initiated the compensation process for the one individual still officially missing,” Dhameliya stated. “We remain committed to search efforts, but time and the river’s force are not on our side.”
Authorities have recovered multiple vehicles from the riverbed, including two trucks, a pick-up van, an Eeco car, an auto rickshaw, and three motorcycles. Meanwhile, a temporary barrier has been erected around the damaged portion of the bridge to prevent further accidents.
As the water continues to flow through the broken bridge, the memory of a young life, cut short too soon, lingers heavily along its banks. For one family, closure has come not with answers, but with ashes in effigy and prayers for peace.
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