Arunachal crash: All 20 victims laid to rest in Assam's Tinsukia

Tinsukia, Dec 15: The bodies of all victims, who died in a road accident in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, have been cremated in Assam's Tinsukia district on Sunday night.

While the bodies of six victims arrived on Saturday, the remaining 14 reached the district the following evening, with the cremation taking place late on Sunday night, Tinsukia District Commissioner Swapnanil Paul said.

Cabinet minister Bimal Borah and Tinsukia BJP MLA Sanjay Kishan and officials of the district administration were present on the occasion.

“The accident occurred in a remote part of Arunachal Pradesh, where the gorge plunges more than 800 feet, its depth deceptive from above. We have been closely monitoring the rescue operation and, following the Chief Minister’s directions, have managed to recover 14 bodies so far,” said Minister Borah.

The lone survivor of the mishap, Budheswar Deep (23), is currently undergoing treatment at the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh.

His condition was improving and stable, according to doctors attending to him.

The accident took place on Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Arunachal Pradesh's Anjaw district on December 8 when the truck carrying 21 labourers fell into the gorge.

Deep survived the accident and somehow managed to reach the nearest Chipra GREF Camp, following which police were alerted and rescue operations began.

Two contractors, who had hired the workers for construction work, have been arrested by police and investigations are on, Paul said.

The duo has been identified as Sirajul Ahmed and Sairuddin Ali.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those who died from the PM National Relief Fund while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of the deceased.

With inputs from PTI