Staff REPORTER
Itanagar, Jun 13: In a tragic incident, five traders from Assam lost their lives after the vehicle (Mahindra Bolero pickup) they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge near Pagaso stream along the National Highway-13, about eight kms from Seppa in East Kameng district.
The victims have been identified as Md Bulbul Hussain (26), Abdul Hussain (21), Nur Hussain (40), Amjat Ali (41) and Saidul Ali (30), all residents of Bhoruluwa village in Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
According to police, the deceased had attended the weekly market at Rilloh in Pakke-Kessang district on Friday and were on their way to Seppa to participate in another weekly market scheduled for Saturday.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Habung Sama said preliminary findings indicate that the accident occurred between 7 pm and 8 pm on Friday. The vehicle had reportedly departed from Rilloh at around 5 pm before meeting with the fatal accident.
A police team rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. During the rescue operation, four occupants were found dead inside the gorge, while one survivor was rescued with critical injuries and shifted to District Hospital, Seppa.
Despite efforts by medical personnel, the injured victim later succumbed to his injuries, taking the death toll to five.
Police has registered a case at Seppa Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and launched an investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident.
Following post-mortem examinations, the bodies were handed over to the bereaved families for their last rites.
Police said further investigation is in progress to ascertain the exact cause of the fatal accident.