Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday handed over ex gratia assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of 21 labourers from the state who were killed in a road accident in Arunachal Pradesh.
The accident occurred on the night of December 8 when a truck carrying 22 workers from Tinsukia district plunged into a deep gorge on the Hayuliang–Chaglagam Road in Anjaw district of eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
All the victims hailed from Dhelaghat under the Gillapukri Tea Estate in Tinsukia district.
The Chief Minister also wished the lone survivor, who sustained critical injuries, a speedy recovery and directed the administration to ensure that he receives all necessary medical treatment.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the state government has provided Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the deceased, while Rs 1 lakh has been sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for the treatment of the injured labourer.
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Of the 22 people travelling in the truck, one labourer, identified as Budheswor Deep, miraculously survived the crash and managed to reach the nearest Chipra GREF camp two days later.
Authorities were alerted to the accident only after the survivor reported the incident.
