Itanagar. The Indian Army on Thursday launched a major search and rescue operation in the Chaglagam area of Arunachal Pradesh. This operation is being conducted for 21 truck laborers from Tinsukia. Whose vehicle fell into a deep ditch. It is believed that the accident happened on the night of December 8 near KM 40. This came to light late on the night of 10th December when a person reached Chipra GREF camp and alerted the authorities.
According to initial information from the survivor of the accident, the vehicle skidded off the road and fell into an inaccessible forest ravine below. This place, which is about 12 km before Chaglagam, is in a remote area with very little connectivity.
Until the survivors arrived, no local agency, contractor or civil representative had given any information about the missing workers. Relief operations gained momentum after the discovery. On 11 December, the Indian Army’s Spear Corps sent a rescue team with medical teams, GREF personnel, local police, NDRF members and the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Heuliang.
“Around 11:55 am, after four hours of intensive search and rope descent, the truck was spotted about 200 meters down the road near KM 40 at a place which was inaccessible and not visible from the helicopter or the road due to dense trees and bushes. Eighteen bodies have been spotted and efforts are being made to rescue them,” an official said.
According to officials, the vehicle was not visible earlier due to dense bushes. So far, 18 bodies have been seen at the accident site and they are being pulled out using the belay rope system (a safety system used in rock climbing and technical rescue operations).
ADC Hayuliang has informed SP Anjaw, who has reached the spot, while the District Medical Officer has also reached the spot. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) called by the Deputy Commissioner is also moving towards the spot.
Officials have started questioning the sub-contractor linked to the Chaglagam Zilla Parishad member to identify the laborers and confirm the exact number of people on board the truck. Despite the difficult terrain, limited visibility and difficult weather conditions, the army and civil agencies are making every possible effort to locate the remaining people and provide immediate assistance.
