Search operation ends in Anjaw truck accident, 20 bodies recovered
Itanagar (PTI): The multi-agency search and rescue operation in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, where a mini-truck on which 21 people from Assam were travelling plunged into a deep gorge, has been officially called off by the district administration on Monday.
Till Sunday, 20 bodies were recovered and one survivor rescued following four days of intensive efforts by disaster response teams, Anjaw Deputy Commissioner Millo Kojin said.
The DC in an official order said that the search and rescue operation, which began on December 11, was formally concluded at 10 am on Monday after exhaustive combing of the accident site near Lailiang, about 40 km from Hayuliang sub-division.
Though earlier it was estimated that 22 labourers were in the ill-fated vehicle, but a communication from the senior superintendent of police of Assam's Tinsukia district on Sunday confirmed that there were only 21 people in the mini truck, including the driver, the DC said.
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The accident occurred on the night of December 8 along the Hayuliang–Chaglagam road when a mini truck carrying 21 labourers from Tinsukia district of Assam fell into a deep gorge. The incident came to light only on the evening of December 10 after one injured survivor managed to reach a nearby Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) labour camp and alerted authorities.
Following the report, a large-scale rescue operation was mounted involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, BRTF, local police and the district administration.
Despite extremely challenging terrain and weather conditions, rescue teams successfully retrieved 20 bodies from the gorge, while one labourer survived the mishap.
In a separate order, the district administration confirmed that the NDRF team completed its assigned task and has been released from duty with immediate effect, after all mortal remains were handed over to the district administration and subsequently to the relatives of the deceased following completion of legal formalities.
The deputy commissioner, who is also chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), placed on record appreciation for the professionalism, dedication and coordinated response of all agencies involved in the operation, carried out under extremely difficult conditions.
The district administration also expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families of the victims.
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Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa laid to rest with full state honours
Bengaluru (PTI): Veteran Congress leader Shamanuru Shivashankarappa was laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.
The 94-year-old former minister, who passed away at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Sunday, was cremated at the Kalleshwara Mill premises, following Veerashaiva-Lingayat traditions.
Earlier in the day, Shivashankarappa's mortal remains were brought to his native Davanagere, where they were kept at the high school grounds for the public, his followers, and well-wishers to pay their last respects.
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Expressing deep sorrow over his demise, the Karnataka government ordered that his last rites be performed with full state honours.
Both the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Council also mourned his passing, adjourning their sessions for the day after paying tributes.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, several ministers, opposition leaders, legislators, and political figures paid their respects.
A number of seers from the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community also attended the last rites.
Shivashankarappa represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for some time before succumbing to age-related ailments.
The senior-most legislator in Karnataka, Shivashankarappa, was also one of the longest-serving lawmakers in the country, sources said.
He is survived by three sons, including S S Mallikarjun, the Karnataka Minister for Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, and four daughters. His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, is the Member of Parliament from Davanagere.
A six-time MLA, Shivashankarappa also served as a minister and an MP.
He was a prominent educationist, establishing several educational institutions, and was an industrialist.
Additionally, he served as the treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) for decades and was the president of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, the apex body of the influential Veerashaiva-Lingayat community.
