Six workers from Gelapukhuri Tea Estate were laid to rest on Saturday in heart-wrenching scenes as thousands gathered at the estate’s burial ground to bid farewell to victims of the December 8 Arunachal Pradesh road accident.
The deceased—Abhay Bhumij, 33, Sanjay Kumar, 36, Jonas Munda, 20, Agar Tanti, 24, Rajani Naag, 24, and Rahul Kumar, 25—were buried in graves dug side by side.
Among the victims was Agar Tanti, who died just 15 days after his wedding, leaving his 18-year-old bride Mala Tanti a widow.
Tinsukia MLA Sanjoy Kishan, District Commissioner Swapneel Paul, SSP Mayank Kumar, and Additional SP Himangshu Das attended the burial as the community mourned worker who were killed when their truck plunged 200 metres into a gorge off the Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district.
The six bodies were among 11 retrieved so far from the accident site. Five additional bodies were recovered Saturday, while search teams continue battling difficult terrain to retrieve remaining victims. A total of 21 workers—18 from Gelapukhuri and three from neighbouring Dhelaghat Tea Estate—died when their vehicle skidded off the mountain road.
The bodies arrived in Tinsukia in an ambulance convoy accompanied by Assam Cabinet Minister Bimal Borah and MLA Kishan. After being received at Tinsukia Medical College and Hospital by district officials, the bodies were cleaned, dressed, and transported to Gelapukhuri Tea Estate, where several family members collapsed upon seeing their loved ones.
“We have faced an irreparable loss. These young men had only one thought—to earn a better living for their families. They were driven by the need for income, a need that led them to take the fatal risk. The government stands with these families in their darkest hour. We will ensure that the families who lost their sole breadwinners receive every possible assistance,” said Minister Bimal Borah.
Officials confirmed remaining bodies will be brought to Tinsukia as recovery operations permit. The challenging terrain has complicated efforts, with teams working continuously to retrieve all victims and provide closure to anguished families.
The workers, earning Rs 250 daily at the tea estate, had traveled to Arunachal Pradesh for construction work promising Rs 700 per day—a decision driven by economic desperation that ended in tragedy.
