A major tragedy unfolded near Chaglagam in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district after a dumper carrying labourers skidded off a mountain road and plunged into a deep gorge, leaving at least 21 workers from Assam feared dead. The incident occurred along a treacherous stretch close to the Indo-China border, where rescue operations have been severely hampered by the rugged terrain.
According to preliminary reports, the labourers were travelling to Chhat (Poraghar) in Assam’s Tinsukia district when the vehicle reportedly lost control on the unstable hillside and rolled down the slope. Local authorities and emergency teams rushed to the spot, but steep cliffs and loose soil have slowed down retrieval efforts.
Officials have prepared a list of the deceased labourers, all of whom hail from Assam. Those identified so far include Gudheswor Deep (23), Rahul Kumar (25), Somir Deep (22), Arjun Kumar (28), Pankaj Manki (20), Ajay Manki (30), Abjay Kumar (26), Abhoy Dhuria (24), Rohit Manki (20), Dhirendra Kumar (22), Ador Tanti (24), Dhiren Chariya (28), Rojoin Nag (21), Deep Gogala (28), Ramselok Buna (26), Samaron Nag (26), Binay Kumar (26), Karan Kumar (26) and Junash Munda (20). All of them were engaged in labour work in the region.
Authorities confirmed that the process of recovering the bodies is underway and that the remains will be transported to Tinsukia for identification and post-mortem examinations. The accident has sparked widespread grief across the victims’ home villages, where families are anxiously awaiting official confirmation.
State governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are coordinating closely to manage the aftermath of the incident and extend assistance to the affected families. Further updates are expected as rescue operations continue in the remote mountain landscape.
