Arunachal Pradesh:21 killed after truck falls into gorge

In Arunachal Pradesh, at least 21 labourers were killed while one person miraculously survived after a truck carrying them skidded off a narrow mountain road and fell into a deep gorge near Metengliang in Anjaw district, officials said on Thursday. Preliminary inputs from the lone survivor, who managed to reach Chipra GREF Camp, indicate that a truck carrying 22 workers from Tinsukia fell off a cliff on the night of 08 December. The accident site, approximately 12 km short of Chaglagam, lies in difficult terrain with limited connectivity and had not been reported by any local agency, contractor or civil representative until the survivor’s arrival.

Report suggests the accident occurred on December 8 between 8pm and 9pm, around 11km from Chaglagam, when the vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a deep valley. With no mobile connectivity in the region, the tragedy went unreported for nearly two days. According to Anjaw SP Anurag Dwivedi the survivor’s statement helped police narrow down the crash location, following which teams from the army, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), local police and district administration were mobilised for search and rescue. A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has also been requisitioned. According to officials, 18 of the 22 labourers were residents of the Gilapukhuri Tea Estate in Assam’s Tinsukia district. The Indian Army has launched a major Search and Rescue operation in the Chaglagam region. Despite harsh terrain and poor visibility, the Indian Army, in coordination with civil administration and other agencies is making all possible efforts to trace the remaining individuals and provide immediate assistance.