Arunachal Pradesh: 3 more bodies recovered, toll rises to 20 in Anjaw accident

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: Three bodies were retrieved on Sunday from a deep gorge in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district, where a mini-truck carrying people from Assam had fallen, a senior official said.

So far, 20 bodies have been recovered from the accident site since Friday, State Disaster Management Secretary Dani Salu informed in a statement issued here.

He added that the bodies were handed over to the families for onward transportation to their respective native places after completion of all formalities.

Salu said that, according to unconfirmed reports, a total of 21 labourers, including the driver, were on board the ill-fated mini-truck.

"Search operations will be closed once a confirmed report on the total number of labourers is received," the secretary said.

The operation resumed at 6 am on Sunday by a joint team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Army after it was suspended the previous evening, Salu said.

The accident occurred on the evening of December 8, around 40 km from Hayuliang towards Chaglagam in the district. On December 10 evening, one survivor managed to climb out of the gorge and reach a nearby Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) labour camp.

The officer commanding the BRTF subsequently alerted the district authorities, officials said.

Also Read: Arunachal: Six bodies retrieved as search intensifies in Anjaw tragedy