Tinsukia, Assam: The sorrow of a remote Himalayan accident has travelled across state lines, settling heavily over Assam’s Tinsukia district, the home of nearly two dozen labourers who were killed or are missing following a tragic truck crash in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district. With the death toll among the workers confirmed to be at least 19, the local community, particularly the Gilapukhuri Tea Estate, is grappling with the profound loss of its young earning members.
The Fatal Journey of Tinsukia’s Workers
The victims were construction labourers, predominantly from the tea garden belt of Tinsukia, who had travelled to Arunachal Pradesh in search of work on a critical infrastructure project in the remote Chaglagam circle, near the India-China border.
The group of 22 workers (some reports suggest 23, including the driver) left Tinsukia on December 7, only for their journey to end disastrously on the night of December 8, 2025, when their mini-truck skidded off the treacherous Hayuliang–Chaglagam Road and plunged 200 to 700 metres into a steep, inaccessible gorge.
The tragedy remained a silent horror for two days, only discovered after the lone survivor, Budheswor Deep (23), managed to climb out and trek for four kilometres to an Army/GREF camp. He is currently receiving treatment in Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH), Dibrugarh.
Identified Victims: A List of the Lost
The Anjaw district administration, in coordination with Tinsukia officials, has identified many of the deceased and missing. The victims, who represent the primary breadwinners for their families, include:
- Rahul Kumar
- Somir Deep
- Arjun Kumar
- Pankaj Manki
- Ajay Manki
- Bijay Kumar
- Abhoy Bhumij
- Rohit Manki
- Birendra Kumar
- Agor Tanti
- Dhiren Chatriya
- Rojoni Nag
- Deep Gowala
- Ramsebak Suna
- Sonaton Nag
- Sanjay Kumar
- Karan Kumar
- Junash Munda
Authorities fear the final death toll among the workers will reach 21, with search operations continuing for the remaining missing persons.
State Governments Coordinate for Relief
The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have launched coordinated efforts to manage the disaster’s aftermath and provide relief to the affected families.
- Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his deepest condolences, confirming that the Tinsukia civil and police administration team was dispatched to the crash site to coordinate assistance and the difficult process of retrieving and repatriating the bodies.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh from the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased, and ₹50,000 for the injured.
The challenges remain immense: the terrain is rugged, high-altitude, and retrieval of the bodies from the deep gorge requires specialised NDRF equipment and rope work, with operations expected to continue through the weekend. The focus now is on retrieving the mortal remains and ensuring they are quickly handed over to their waiting families in Assam.
