Teliamura, June 13: The administration has announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the two youths who lost their lives in the tragic landslide at Chakmaghat Muslim Basti under Teliamura subdivision in Khowai district.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning when three residents of Kunjamura village—20-year-old James Jamatia, 30-year-old Asha Hari Jamatia, and 30-year-old Amulya Dhan Jamatia—had gone to collect soil for house construction work. While excavating earth from a mound, a large section suddenly collapsed, trapping all three beneath the debris.
Hearing cries for help, local residents rushed to the spot and immediately launched rescue efforts. Their prompt action helped save Amulya Dhan Jamatia, who sustained severe injuries to his legs. He was initially admitted to Teliamura Sub-Divisional Hospital and later shifted to GB Pant Hospital in Agartala after his condition deteriorated.
Despite extensive efforts to rescue the others, James Jamatia and Asha Hari Jamatia were declared dead at Teliamura Hospital after being pulled from under the collapsed soil. Their untimely deaths have left the entire Chakmaghat area in mourning.
Following the tragedy, Tribal Welfare Minister Bikas Debbarma, accompanied by Sub-Divisional Magistrate Apurba Krishna Chakraborty and other senior officials, visited the hospital to meet the bereaved families. Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives, the minister handed over cheques of Rs 4 lakh each as ex-gratia compensation and assured the families of the government’s continued support during this difficult period.
The incident has also raised questions regarding the effectiveness of the disaster response system. While Fire and Emergency Services personnel and TSR jawans reportedly reached the site quickly and participated actively in the rescue operation, local residents alleged that the disaster management team arrived much later and contributed little during the initial rescue efforts. Officials, however, maintained that delays occurred due to the need for specialized equipment to support the operation.
