Arunachal accident survivor spent 2 nights beside bodies before climbing out of gorge

Dibrugarh: Budheswar Deep, 23, from Tinsukia district emerged as the lone survivor of the Anjaw road accident in Arunachal Pradesh that claimed the lives of 20 labourers on Dec 8.

Speaking from his ICU bed at the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh on Wednesday, Budheswar recounted his harrowing ordeal — surviving for two days and nights beside the bodies of his co-workers before mustering the strength to climb out of a gorge nearly 200 metres deep.




The tragedy struck around 8.30pm on Dec 8, when a truck carrying 21 labourers from Gelapukhuri Tea Estate and Dhelaghat Tea Estate in Tinsukia district skidded off the Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Anjaw district and plunged into a steep gorge.

“The truck went down in seconds. I was thrown around and everything went dark. When I regained some sense, I saw my friends — everyone around me — lying still. I tried shaking them, calling their names, but none responded,” Budheswar recalled, his voice barely audible above the beeping ICU monitors.

With multiple injuries and unable to move, Budheswar spent two nights surrounded by the lifeless bodies of his co-workers, many of whom had been his childhood friends from Gelapukhuri Tea Estate.

“I slept with them for two nights. I couldn’t move. I was hungry and thirsty. I kept hoping someone would come,” he said. On Dec 10 morning, desperation drove him to attempt the impossible. “I thought, if I die while climbing out, so be it. But if I stay, I will surely die,” Budheswar said.

Using shrubs and rocks for support, he slowly began ascending the steep slope. The climb, which took several painful hours, was made harder by dizziness and exhaustion from hunger and dehydration. At the top, he spotted a small water pipeline running beside the road. “I broke it with my hand and drank the water. I felt a bit better after drinking,” he said.

After regaining some strength, Budheswar began walking along the deserted road, stopping occasionally to drink from the pipeline. As dusk approached, he encountered a truck driver who immediately offered help.

“The driver lit a fire for me and took me to a nearby adivasi family. They gave me rice, dal, and one egg. I could eat only two spoonfuls,” he recounted.

Later that night, a team of Army personnel, alerted about the survivor, reached the location and provided first aid before taking him to their camp. Budheswar was subsequently moved to a local hospital and later shifted to AMCH in Dibrugarh for advanced treatment.

Doctors at AMCH said his condition is stable, though he remains under close observation due to multiple injuries and trauma.