Arunachal: Tourist’s body recovered after three-day search at Pongging viewpoint

Guwahati: After three days of ongoing search efforts, rescue teams recovered the body of a 32-year-old man from Bihar on the evening of Saturday, October 4.

The man had fallen into a deep gorge near the Pongging tourist viewpoint in Arunachal Pradesh.

The deceased, identified as Uma Shankar from Gaya district, was found near the confluence of the Siang and Yamne Rivers.

His body had initially been spotted on October 3, caught on a tree branch approximately 30–40 meters above the riverbank and about 170 meters away from the viewpoint.

Earlier attempts by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police to retrieve the body on October 1 and 2 were unsuccessful due to darkness, challenging terrain, and insufficient equipment.

With assistance from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team from Itanagar’s 12th Battalion, the recovery operation was successfully completed at around 6:21 pm on October 4.

Mebo Police Station Officer-in-Charge Akai Chama highlighted the difficulties faced during the rescue, including continuous rain, fog, and slippery rocks.

He advised tourists to exercise extreme caution while visiting Pongging, which is considered a high-risk location.

East Siang Superintendent of Police Pankaj Lamba, who oversaw the recovery, confirmed that a postmortem will be conducted before the body is handed over to the family.

Uma Shankar worked as a contractual assistant manager with India Post Payments Bank at Dhemaji Post Office in Assam.

He was visiting the viewpoint with three friends when the accident happened.

Local residents and community leaders, including Mongol Yomso, have urged authorities in East Siang and Upper Siang districts to install safety barriers around the Pongging viewpoint to prevent future accidents.