Body of Malayali recovered from collapsed Sikkim tunnel

THE body of Aneesh Mohan, a 43-year-old native of Kottayam, was recovered late at night from the collapsed Head Race Tunnel of the NHPC Teesta Stage-VI Hydropower Project in Samardung, South Sikkim.

The tragic accident was caused by a sudden methane gas explosion inside the under-construction tunnel.

Aneesh Mohan was working as a senior manager and geologist for the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). His body was found around 11:00 pm and subsequently identified by his relatives, who were brought to the site by NHPC officials.

After completing the postmortem examination, procedures were initiated to transport his mortal remains back to Kerala.

The catastrophic tunnel incident—triggered by a suspected methane gas pocket trapped in the rocks—resulted in dense, toxic fumes and a major structural collapse, trapping over 25 workers and officials.

Rescue operations, led by the NDRF and specialised teams, recovered multiple bodies from the site, with the death toll rising as operations continued.