A morning that started like any other in the remote hills of Anjaw turned into a scene of chaos and grief — a vehicle carrying multiple passengers plunged into the swirling Lohit River, and the driver who caused it simply ran away.
When Everything Went Wrong at Sarti
It was barely 9:30 in the morning when the vehicle lost control near the Government Residential School at Sarti and tumbled into the Lohit River. Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin confirmed the accident, noting that the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle before it plunged into the river. What makes this even harder to stomach is what the driver did next — he didn’t stop, didn’t call for help, didn’t even wait to see if the people inside survived. He fled the spot immediately. Seven passengers were left to the mercy of one of the most powerful rivers in Northeast India.
Race Against the Current
Local residents didn’t wait for official orders. They jumped in — literally and figuratively. Police personnel also rushed to the scene, and together they began pulling passengers out of the water as the Lohit’s strong currents raged around them. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), stationed in Tezu over in the neighbouring Lohit district, was quickly requisitioned and joined the rescue. Seven passengers were eventually pulled from the river. One, however, was found dead. Four of those rescued were in serious condition and needed urgent medical attention. The image of ordinary people risking their own lives to drag strangers out of a river is something that stays with you.
Search Operations Still Underway
Even after the initial rescue, teams have not stood down. Authorities continued combing the river stretch to determine whether anyone else may have been swept away by the current. The Lohit is not a forgiving river, especially during the monsoon. With water levels high and the flow aggressive this time of year, every hour of the search matters.
Minister Steps In, Demands Full Response
Women and Child Development Minister Dasanglu Pul responded swiftly, expressing grief over the tragedy and directing local authorities to throw every available resource at the relief operation. She said she had strictly directed the local administration, district police, and the SDRF to deploy fully and extend every possible support on the ground. She offered condolences to the family of the deceased and wished the injured a full and speedy recovery.
Driver Still on the Run
Police have registered a case and launched a hunt for the driver, who remains absconding as of now. No arrests have been made. The fact that someone walked away from a scene where people were drowning — and is still out there — is the kind of thing that sits uneasily with everyone following this story.
Roads in Anjaw are treacherous at the best of times. Monsoon makes them far worse. But negligence behind the wheel, followed by cold abandonment of victims, is a different level of tragedy altogether. One family is mourning today. Others are clinging to recovery. And a driver is hiding somewhere in those hills.
HASHTAGS
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