Assam bikers die in car accident near Saddle

Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, 22 Jul: The bodies of four people from Assam, who had gone missing in between Dirang and Bhalukpong on 19 July, were found in a deep gorge near Saddle, 3 kms from Nechiphu, in West Kameng district, on Friday.

They were members of different motorcycle riding clubs of Assam, and were travelling in a Volkswagen car (AS01-BP-0605) from Dirang to Assam in the evening when the incident occurred.

The West Kameng police informed that the riders had arrived in Dirang on 18 July and, after spending a night there, left in the evening for Assam.

“The car, which was completely damaged, along with the bodies were found in a deep gorge near a riverbank a few kilometres ahead of Sessa waterfalls near Bhalukpong,” West Kameng SP Sangey Norbu said.

Two bodies were retrieved by the police on Friday. However, because of the steepness of the gorge and failing light, the operation was suspended and will resume on Saturday.

“The area witnesses heavy fog, and their car might have skidded off the road due to it,” the SP said.

The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained, he added.

The deceased have been identified as Nayan Basumatari (30) and Bedanta Bormahela (30) – both from Nagaon district of Assam – Hirak Boro (32) from Sonapur in Kamrup district, and Sanjiv Das (34), of Rangapara in Sonitpur district.

It is learnt that family members and relatives of the deceased have arrived to oversee the retrieval operation. (With PTI input)