ANI photo
NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PM National Relief Fund for the families of those who died in the Arunachal Pradesh accident, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “Distressed by the loss of lives due to a mishap in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of those injured. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000,” Prime Minister Modi announced, as per the statement shared by PMO on social media. A mini-truck carrying 22 labourers from Assam had fallen into a deep gorge on Monday night in Anjaw district, along the high-altitude Hayuliang–Chaglagam road near the Indo-China border. The incident came to light only two days later when a severely injured survivor climbed out of the gorge and walked nearly 4 km to a Border Roads Organisation camp to seek help.Anjaw deputy commissioner Millo Kojin said an Army team reached the wreckage but could not retrieve any bodies because of the steep slopes, thick forest cover and dangerous terrain. So far, 18 bodies have been spotted around 200 metres below the road. An NDRF team from Assam, equipped for high-risk terrain, is reaching the site to begin full search and recovery operations.
