At least seven people were killed and several injured after a massive landslide, triggered by incessant rains, hit the company location of 107 Infantry Battalion TA (11th Gorkha Rifles) of the Indian Army deployed near Tupul in Manipur’s Noney district, at midnight. Around 52 people are reported to be still missing. Many of those killed belonged to the territorial army who guarded a major railway line construction site.
As per the information, among the deceased, Denjo Rai and Umesh Rai hailed from Darjeeling’s Teesta Valley area and Binod Rai from Nagrakata. However, two others, one hailing from Gayle Tea Garden and an Officer ranked jawan from Sikkim could not be identified by the time of reporting.
According to the earlier report, the ADG MO (A) maintained that one officer, 03 Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) and 39 jawans of other ranks were present at the said site.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista took to Twitter and wrote, “Last night a massive landslide stuck at the Tupul Yard Railway Construction Camp in Noney District, Manipur where the entire B Company of 107 (TA) 11 Gorkha Rifles, railway officials and other civilians have been buried.”
Last night a massive landslide stuck at the Tupul Yard Railway Construction Camp in Noney District, Manipur where the entire B Company of 107 (TA) 11 Gorkha Rifles, railway officials and other civilians have been buried. pic.twitter.com/uYN4FOEkQP
— Raju Bista (@RajuBistaBJP) June 30, 2022
Meanwhile, due to the landslide, the flow of the Ijai river has been affected, creating a dam-like water body that could lead to flooding if the debris is not removed. The rescue operations that are being conducted by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) State Government and Railways workers are underway. While the evacuation of the critically injured personnel is in progress, many are also feared to be trapped under debris.