Police have arrested the owner of the mini-truck involved in the deadly gorge accident in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district, in which 20 labourers lost their lives. The arrest marks a significant development in the case that has drawn attention to alleged illegal transportation and serious safety violations.
The accused, identified as Bhushan Kumar Yadav (36), was picked up from Bihar’s Chapra district after remaining absconding since the accident, officials said. The mini-truck owned by Yadav had plunged into a deep gorge in eastern Arunachal, killing almost everyone on board.
According to the police, Yadav has been booked for criminal negligence along with multiple violations under the Motor Vehicles Act, as transporting passengers in a goods vehicle is prohibited. With his arrest, the number of people taken into custody in connection with the case has gone up to three. Earlier, two others were arrested on charges linked to human trafficking and negligence.
The accident took place on the night of December 8 on the Hayuliang–Chaglagam road in Anjaw district. The mini-truck, carrying labourers from Assam’s Tinsukia district, reportedly went off the road and plunged into a steep gorge near Lailiang, around 40 km from Hayuliang sub-division.
The incident came to light two days later after the lone survivor, Budheswar Deep, managed to reach a Border Roads Task Force labour camp. He reportedly trekked through difficult terrain for nearly two days before alerting authorities, prompting a major search and rescue operation.
A joint operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, the Border Roads Task Force, local police and the district administration was launched on December 11. Despite challenging weather and terrain, rescue teams worked for four days, recovering 20 bodies and rescuing one survivor.
Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin confirmed that the search operation was officially called off at 10 am on December 15. While initial inputs suggested a higher number of passengers, police later confirmed that 21 people, including the driver, were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
The survivor is currently undergoing treatment in Tinsukia, Assam. Officials said the bodies have been handed over to the families after completion of all legal formalities, and the NDRF team has since been withdrawn. The district administration has expressed condolences to the bereaved families, adding that the investigation is continuing to fix accountability and prevent similar incidents.