A 45-year-old man had a narrow escape on Sunday afternoon after his car plunged into the Subansiri River when it overshot a ferry at the Selek–Dhunaguri ghat in Majuli.
The man, identified as Tirtha Bhuyan,
a resident of Narayanpur in Lakhimpur district, was rescued by alert passengers aboard the ferry, though his vehicle sank completely into the deep waters.
The incident occurred around 2.30 pm as Bhuyan was returning home from Majuli. Witnesses said he drove his car onto wooden planks placed between the riverbank and the ferry while boarding. However, he failed to brake in time, causing the vehicle to cross over the ferry deck and plunge straight into the river.
“The car went straight through and started sinking immediately. It was a terrifying moment. The water is very deep at that point, and we feared the worst,” said Ranjit Pegu, a fellow passenger who witnessed the accident, speaking to TOI.
As the vehicle began to submerge, Bhuyan managed to open the door and escape. Passengers on the ferry quickly threw him a rope, which he grabbed, allowing them to pull him to safety.
“He was struggling in the water, but thankfully, he got out of the car quickly. We threw a rope, and several of us worked together to pull him up. It could have ended very differently,” Pegu added.
Local authorities confirmed that Bhuyan did not suffer any injuries and was in stable condition. He was given immediate assistance by passengers and ferry staff and later taken for a medical check-up as a precaution.
The car could not be recovered and remains submerged in the river.
