Guwahati: Seven of the 19 missing construction workers in Assam have been rescued from deep jungles in Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Saturday.
The construction workers from lower Assam, who were engaged by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in road construction work, went missing from Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh along the China border in the last week.
Kurung Kumey Deputy Commissioner Nighee Bengia said that the search for the remaining workers was on.
“Till 12.30 am, 7 labourers were recovered. They were found to be very weak,” Bengia told New Indian Express.
He said the persons were being given food and medicines. They were believed to have been kept at a camp of the BRO.
“Their statements will be recorded after their health condition improves,” Bengia added.
According to reports, they were found by villagers on Friday inside a dense forest nearly 20-25 km from Huri in Kurung Kumey district.
The workers from lower Assam’s Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts were engaged by BRO in the construction of a road from Damin circle in Kurung Kumey district to the China border.
They had fled their camp at Huri in the district on the night of July 5, ostensibly after being denied permission to go home to celebrate Eid.
The workers had taken a shortcut jungle route to return to their homes in Assam.
Villagers reportedly informed the police that the workers left their construction site after the contractor refused to grant leave for some days.
SDRF personnel are continuing their search operation while the NDRF would soon join the search operation to locate the missing workers.
Indian Air Force (IIAF) helicopters would also be pressed into service to search for the remaining missing construction workers.