Guwahati, December 13 : At least 18 labourers from Assam were killed and two others are feared missing after a mini truck carrying 22 workers plunged nearly 1,000 feet into a deep gorge in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district near the Indo-China border officials said.
The accident occurred on the night of December 8 along the high altitude Hayuliang–Chaglagam Road but came to light almost 48 hours later when a lone survivor managed to alert authorities.
The survivor identified as 23 year old Budheswar Deep climbed out of the gorge scaled around 200 metres of steep terrain and walked nearly four kilometres to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO)/GREF camp following which rescue operations were launched officials said.
Army police National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and district administration teams are carrying out search and recovery operations in the extremely difficult terrain. Several bodies have been spotted inside the vehicle which is hanging precariously in the gorge.
The accident took place on Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Anjaw district when the truck was carrying 22 labourers Defence PRO Lt Col Mahender Rawat said.
Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin said Army teams reached the wreckage but could not retrieve bodies initially due to steep slopes thick forest cover and dangerous conditions. An NDRF team from Assam has been rushed to the spot to assist in the operation.
Most of the victims hailed from Assam Tinsukia district many from the Gelapukhuri Tea Estate. The labourers were travelling to Anjaw district for construction and hotel work officials said.
Deep was first taken to Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital and later referred to Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh where his condition remains critical.
He has suffered severe head and chest injuries. At this point we cannot say he is out of danger AMCH Superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said adding that the survivor was also in a state of shock and trauma due to internal injuries.
Tinsukia District Commissioner Swapnanil Paul said the administration was coordinating closely with authorities in Arunachal Pradesh. “The process of recovering the bodies has started since early morning. Some bodies have been spotted inside the vehicle, which is hanging in a precarious position,” he said.
Families of the workers remained unaware of the tragedy for two days, repeatedly trying to contact their loved ones. A pall of gloom has descended over the victims’ native areas as families wait to receive the bodies for last rites.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those who died and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Distressed by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a statement issued by the PMO.
