Arunachal Police Arrest Bihar Truck Owner in Anjaw Gorge Crash That Killed 20 Labourers

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Police have arrested the owner of the mini-truck involved in the tragic road accident in Anjaw district that claimed the lives of 20 labourers earlier this month. The arrest marks a significant development in the investigation into the deadly crash, which has raised serious concerns over illegal transport practices and safety violations.

The accused has been identified as Bhushan Kumar Yadav (36), a resident of Chapra district in Bihar. Police said Yadav was apprehended from Bihar after he allegedly went into hiding following the accident. The mini-truck owned by him had plunged into a deep gorge in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, killing almost all the people travelling in it.

According to officials, Yadav has been booked on charges of criminal negligence and multiple violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. Police stated that carrying passengers in a goods vehicle is strictly prohibited, and preliminary findings indicate that the vehicle was illegally transporting labourers.

With Yadav’s arrest, the total number of people arrested in the case has gone up to three. Earlier, police had taken into custody two other accused, who were allegedly involved in arranging the transportation of the labourers. They were booked on charges related to negligence and human trafficking.

The accident occurred on the night of December 8 on the Hayuliang–Chaglagam road in Anjaw district. The mini-truck, carrying labourers from Assam’s Tinsukia district, lost control and fell into a steep gorge near Lailiang, around 40 kilometres from the Hayuliang sub-division.

The tragedy came to light only two days later when the lone survivor, Budheswar Deep, managed to reach a Border Roads Task Force labour camp after trekking through difficult and remote terrain for nearly two days. His alert led to the launch of a massive search and rescue operation.

A joint rescue effort involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Border Roads Task Force, local police and district administration was carried out from December 11. After four days of strenuous operations under harsh weather and terrain conditions, 20 bodies were recovered.

Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin confirmed that the search operation concluded on December 15. Authorities later confirmed that 21 people, including the driver, were travelling in the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing to fix responsibility and prevent similar incidents in the future.

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