PATNA, Sept. 7 -- A 170-meter-long screw-pile iron bridge in Bihar's Purnea district collapsed into the Parman river on Sunday after an overloaded sand-laden truck attempted to cross it, officials said. The driver reportedly jumped from the vehicle and escaped unhurt, though the truck remains submerged and untraced, he added. The incident took place at Asiyani Ghat under Tiyarpara Panchayat on Amour-Jalalgarh Road. Confirming the collapse of the bridge, RWD (rural works department) executive engineer Kaleshwar Prasad said, "The reason behind the collapse of the bridge will be investigated." Circle officer (CO) of Amour, Shabina Khtun said, "A team of SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) has been alerted and search for truck is underway." The 20-year-old bridge, built at the cost of 4.03 crore, was in a poor shape and an official instruction forbidding vehicles on the bridge was given. On the other hand, a new bridge parallel to the collapsed bridge is under construction. "The bridge that caved in today (Sunday) was in dilapidated condition and there was also a board prohibiting the vehicles from passing over it," a press release issued from the office of the district magistrate (DM) Anshul Kumar on Sunday evening said. It added: "The truck driver flouted the direction and hence the bridge collapsed." An RCC Bridge is under construction and the department would expedite the work, the release said. Locals demanded investigation into the collapse of the bridge....