GUWAHATI, JULY 24: : Rescue teams on Sunday managed to locate and rescue two more missing workers from inside the deep jungles in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kurung Kumey district taking the total number of rescued workers to ten. The condition of the two rescued workers identifed as Khalimuddin Sheikh and Samidul Sheikh is said to be critical.
“The two workers were rescued by the SDRF, locals and police in a very emaciated and weak condition. They have been admitted at the district hospital at Koloriang,” Kurung Kumey SP Abhimanyu Poswal said.
Earlier eight workers were rescued by the search teams after several days of relentless search.
The whereabouts of nine workers still remain unknown. On July 5, nineteen construction workers engaged in a road construction project of Border Road Organisation (BRO) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kurung Kumey district near the India-China border had gone missing from their work site. The workers who were from neighbouring Assam had reportedly fled their camp due to delay in payment of wages by the sub-contractors and lack of basic amenities and food stuff. A 25-member SDRF team along with local rescue teams have been engaged in the search mission under the supervision of SP Abhimanyu Poswal.
Deputy commissioner Nighee Bengia on Sunday said that the rescued workers have claimed that three of their fellow workers have died of drowning and starvation. Five of the rescued workers are undergoing treatment at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) at Naharlagun in the state while five of them, including the two rescued on Sunday are being treated at the district hospital at Koloriang. The deputy commissioner on Sunday visited the health facility at Koloriang and took stock of the health condition of the five workers.
“As per the statements of the rescued labourers three of them have died. They said that two workers fell in the river and died while one died while resting on a stone. Our rescue team have not seen or recovered the bodies. Land rescue operation will be continued till all the missing persons are rescued or recovered.
At present SDRF team, police and local rescue teams are camping at Damin under the supervision of the SP for search and rescue operation,” the deputy commissioner said.
“Surveillance has been going on through IAF chopper but the rescue team has been facing difficulties due to the terrain. With the help of local villagers our rescue team have been advancing slowly,” he said.