A tragic road accident occurred in the Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday morning when a passenger vehicle lost control and plunged directly into the swift currents of the Lohit River. According to administrative details confirmed by Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin, the mishap took place at approximately 9:30 am near the Government Residential School located in the Sarti area. The sudden crash prompted an immediate response from nearby residents and emergency officials, who rushed to the riverbank to rescue trapped occupants.
Rescue Operations and Casualties at Sarti
Prompt intervention by local residents, police officers, and emergency responders resulted in seven passengers being pulled out of the turbulent river during initial search efforts. Tragically, medical personnel pronounced one passenger dead at the scene. Six other occupants sustained physical injuries, with four among them suffering serious trauma that required urgent medical stabilization and transport to nearby healthcare facilities.
The driver of the vehicle reportedly fled the scene immediately following the crash. Local police have officially registered a criminal case regarding the incident and launched a search to locate and apprehend the absconding driver. Law enforcement personnel are currently gathering statements to determine the precise sequence of events leading up to the vehicle veering off the road.
SDRF Deployed from Lohit District as Search Continues
To bolster the rescue mission, the district administration requisitioned personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). A dedicated squad of SDRF responders stationed at Tezu, in the neighbouring Lohit district, was mobilized to assist ground teams. Search parties continue to comb through downstream stretches of the river to verify whether any additional passengers were swept away by strong currents.
Women and Child Development Minister Dasanglu Pul expressed deep grief over the loss of life and instructed administrative, police, and disaster response units to deploy all available machinery for relief. "I have strictly directed the local administration, district police and the SDRF to deploy full resources," Pul stated. The minister offered condolences to the bereaved family while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured as search teams remain active along the Lohit River.
