GUWAHATI: After 17 days since they had fled their camp and were reported missing, seven of the 19 Assam construction workers were rescued from a jungle in Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China on Friday night.
However, all of them were stated to be critical. They are on drip and their health condition is being monitored by a medical team, official sources said.
They were identified as Abdul Amin, Majidul Ali, Monowar Hussain, Joinair Ali, Inamul Hussain, Khairul Islam and Hamidul Hussain.
The state government requested the Indian Air Force (IAF) to evacuate them to Naharlagun near state capital Itanagar where they will be admitted to a hospital.
Kurung Kumey District Magistrate Nighee Bengia told The New Indian Express that an IAF chopper, which carried out a search operation for the remaining 12 workers on Saturday, was likely to be used in the evacuation of the seven.
“They are currently in Huri and serious. We have requested the IAF to evacuate them to Naharlagun. Their statements would be recorded once they recover,” Bengia said.
He said after fleeing their camp at Huri in the dead of the night on July 5, the 19 workers had entered a dense forest which is infested with poisonous snakes and wild animals. Later, they split themselves into two groups of eight and 11.
“Four from the group of eight were found in the jungle at around 8 pm on Friday and rescued. At around 12:30 am today (Saturday), three others of the group were spotted. We have no idea where the last man of this group is,” Bengia said.
“The persons rescued were found tired and frail. We gave them food, water and medicines,” he said.
The DM also said the other group of 11 had headed to a different direction in the jungle. Aided by cops and locals, a 25-member team of the State Disaster Response Force is conducting a search operation for them, he added.
The 19 workers, mostly Muslims, were engaged in the construction of a road from Damin circle in Kurung Kumey to the China border. The project is being executed by the Border Roads Organisation.
They had fled their camp, ostensibly after being denied permission to go home and celebrate Eid.