A legislator from Karnataka had a close shave on Monday morning when a section of a damaged bridge that he was inspecting, suddenly collapsed. The incident took place when Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik was taking stock of the damage to a bridge in Karnataka's Raichur district. Videos of the incident, which took place in Mallat village in the district's Sirwara Taluk, have surfaced online and show the MLA close to the part of the bridge that caved in.
Raja Venkatappa Naik, who represents the Manvi constituency in the state Assembly, had gone to inspect the damaged bridge, which had developed cracks. He stood at the edge of the damaged bridge over a swollen stream and a large number of local residents came and stood right behind him.
Unable to bear the weight, a portion of the damaged bridge caved in and four people were injured. They were hospitalised and their condition is stable, officials said. After the collapse, residents retreated backwards and stood at the entrance of the bridge. Few people in the middle of the bridge were stuck after it collapsed.
Raja Venkatappa Naik however was a few feet away from the part that collapsed. The MLA was also taken to a hospital for check-up but his condition is stable.
In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly elections, Raja Venkatappa defeated Hampayya Nayak Ballatgi of the Congress to become the MLA of Manvi constituency. He is the lone MLA from the Janata Dal (Secular) party to be elected in Raichur district of Karnataka.