ITANAGAR, Feb 14: The bodies of all the four passengers, who were killed in a road mishap, were retrieved from river Kumey in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kra Daadi district in a grueling rescue operation that lasted till late Sunday night, police said on Monday.
A total of four persons (all females) died on the spot and 15 others sustained injuries, 11 of them seriously, when the vehicle in which they were travelling skidded off the Yangte-Tali road and fell down in river Kumey.
The road mishap took place at Kuwa near the Kumey bridge point, about 85 km from Palin, the headquarters of Kra Daadi district.
The ill-fated Bolero pick-up (AR-01N-4448), carrying 19 church believers, mostly women, was travelling from remote Tali to Palin.
“The church believers were returning home in the vehicle after attending a fellowship programme at Tali,” Kra Daadi Superintendent of Police (SP) Dusu Kaling told Arunachal Front.
The deceased have been identified as Dohu Poyum, Nich Menia, Toku Yachi and Goda Yayak, the Kra Daadi Police chief said.
He informed that after the rescue operation, all the injured were rushed to the Palin hospital from where the critically injured were referred to the state capital, Itanagar for better treatment.
The locals actively participated in the rescue operation and helped the rescue team in saving the lives of the injured and retrieving the bodies, the SP informed, adding that the driver of the vehicle was also wounded in the mishap.
The SP earlier said a rescue team, comprising police and medical staff, was rushed to the spot after receiving the information. Since the area is remotely located, there is a mobile network issue and moreover, the condition of the road is also not in good condition.
The cause of the road mishap was not known yet, the SP said.
As per the latest information, six of the injured have been admitted to Heema Hospital here and their condition is stated to be stable.
The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Kesang Wangdi Thongdok said, “One of the patients has already undergone surgery and the rest with fractures and few with head injuries, are being looked after by specialists.”
“As of now, their condition is stable,” Dr Thongdok said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has condoled the loss of lives in the road mishap.
Besides announcing ex-gratia from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, he also prayed for early recovery of the injured.
Taking to Twitter, Khandu wrote: “Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate tragic vehicle accident near Kuwa bridge point between Tali and Palin in Kra-Daadi district. My deepest condolences. I pray for early recovery of those injured. Ex-gratia under CMRF has been sanctioned.”
Local MLA Balo Raja, who is also the Advisor to Power & Hydropower Minister, mourned the loss of four precious lives in the mishap and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured.
“I am extremely shocked on hearing the tragic accident that happened near Kuwa Bridge point between Tali and Palin in which four of our brothers and sisters lost their precious lives untimely.”
“Since we are mere players and playing our roles here as per His wishes and desires and hence nothing is in the hands of the humans! I cannot even imagine what is going through right now at the bereaved families, but I would like to offer my condolences and prayers!”
“May the Almighty give enough strength and support to the bereaved families to cope up with these difficult periods of their lives,” MLA Raja said in his condolence message.
The Golden Jubilee Nyokum Yullo Celebration Committee Palin 2022 also condoled the demise of the four women in the road mishap in Kra Daadi district and conveyed its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The committee members also prayed for speedy recovery of all those injured in the mishap.
The Taku Welfare Society has also condoled the death of four people in the accident. The TWS pray for eternal peace of departed souls and also for quick recovery of the injured persons, a condolence message said.
