At least 21 labourers died, and one survived after a truck carrying them fell into a deep gorge near Metengliang in Arunachal Pradesh&rsquo;s Anjaw district. Officials said the vehicle skidded off a narrow mountain road, causing one of the region&rsquo;s deadliest road accidents in recent years.
According to Anjaw superintendent of police Anurag Dwivedi, the group of 22 labourers had left Assam&rsquo;s Tinsukia district on December 7 for Chaglagam, where they were engaged in construction work. When they did not reach their destination by December 10, their colleagues reported them missing at Hayuliang police station.
During the search operation, a Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) camp informed police that an injured man had arrived claiming that the truck he was travelling in had crashed with 21 others onboard. He received first aid and was shifted to Assam for further treatment.
Initial findings indicate the accident occurred on December 8 between 8 pm and 9 pm, around 11 km from Chaglagam, when the vehicle lost control and plunged into a deep valley. With no mobile connectivity in the area, news of the tragedy remained unknown for almost two days.
Based on the survivor&rsquo;s account, teams from the army, Border Roads Organisation, local police, and district officials launched rescue operations. An NDRF unit has also been deployed.
Authorities said 17 bodies have been located so far, but recovery is difficult due to the steep terrain, with the gorge estimated to be nearly 700 metres deep. Eighteen of the labourers were residents of the Gilapukhuri Tea Estate in Assam&rsquo;s Tinsukia district.

One survivor alerts authorities after truck of labourers falls into a deep Arunachal gorge

Arunachal Gorge Crash Kills 21 Workers

One survivor alerts authorities after truck of labourers falls into a deep Arunachal gorge

December 11, 2025 | 17:17 IST