Bodies Of 7 Workers Killed In Arunachal Accident Recovered After 4 Days

The bodies of seven workers killed in a road accident in Arunachal Pradesh on Monday were recovered four days after the incident happened. The bodies of six workers will be brought back to their homes in the Tinsukia district. At least 21 workers from Tinsukia were feared dead in the accident. The police said that 22 people, including the driver, were travelling in a minitruck which plunged into a deep gorge on the Hayuliang-Chaglagam road in Anjaw district. 

Nang Chingni Choupoo, the District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO) for Anjaw, said, "Today (Saturday) is the third day of the rescue operation, and the joint rescue team has started the operation and is trying everything possible to retrieve the bodies. On Friday, the search operation at the site was suspended after the recovery of six bodies due to darkness, with the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) team returning to its night halt location at Metengliang." Choupoo said the body of the seventh worker was recovered on Saturday. 

READ: 21 Labourers From Assam Feared Dead After Truck Falls Into Arunachal Gorge

Choupoo said that during the course of the rescue operation, the NDRF team brought back the bodies to the base using technical rope rescue methods. "They (the bodies) were handed over to the civil police in the presence of district authorities and representatives from Tinsukia district administration," she added.

The DDMO highlighted that the rescue operation has been difficult, and the rescue team is taking time due to the rough terrain.

She further said the body of one more worker was recovered on Saturday. She highlighted that the rescue operation has been difficult, and the rescue team is taking time due to the rough terrain.

The accident site is approximately 60 km from Hayuliang towards Chaglagam in a deep gorge, making access and retrieval extremely challenging.

According to officials, Monday's accident came to light only by Wednesday when a lone survivor managed to climb up to a nearby army camp and informed them about the accident. The lone survivor, Budheswor Deep, is undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh. 

Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday met Budheswor at AMCH and enquired about his health condition.