ITANAGAR: The multi-agency search and rescue operation in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh has concluded after the recovery of 20 bodies. The operation was initiated following an accident where a mini-truck, carrying 21 people from Assam, plunged into a deep gorge. The district administration officially called off the search on Monday morning.
The accident occurred on the evening of December 8, approximately 40 km from Hayuliang towards Chaglagam. The search and rescue operation began on December 11 and continued for four days. The challenging terrain and low visibility hampered the efforts, making the retrieval process extremely difficult. The gorge was approximately 200 meters deep, necessitating specialized rescue operations by trained experts and mountaineering equipment.
Prior to the operation's conclusion, 17 bodies had been recovered from the accident site. On Sunday, the joint team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army retrieved three more bodies. Anjaw's Deputy Commissioner, Millo Kojin, confirmed that the search and rescue operation was formally concluded at 10 am on Monday after an exhaustive combing of the accident site near Lailiang.
According to reports, the deceased were laborers from Assam. The bodies were handed over to their families after completing all necessary formalities for transportation to their native places. Ambulances transported the remains to Gelaphakuri Tea Estate in Tinsukia, where emotional scenes unfolded as families mourned their loss.
One survivor, identified as 22-year-old Budheswar Deep, managed to climb out of the gorge and reach a nearby Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) labor camp on December 10, which alerted the authorities. He is currently receiving treatment at the Tinsukia Medical College Hospital in Assam. Despite severe injuries, his condition is stable, and he is slowly recovering.
The search operation involved coordinated efforts from multiple agencies, including the Army, NDRF, BRTF personnel, local police, and civil administration. Personnel trained in mountain rescue were deployed, along with volunteers and members of the local community. The Anjaw district administration and DDMA continuously monitored the operation.
State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Salu stated that search operations would be closed once a confirmed report on the total number of laborers was received. Initial reports suggested 22 people, including the driver, were on board the mini-truck, but later, unconfirmed reports indicated a total of 21 people.
