The body of the missing Assam government official who was on a mechanised country boat that sank in the Brahmaputra on Thursday in Dhubri district was found on Sunday after about 72 hours.

The body was found about 1km downstream from the site of the mishap, ending a massive search operation involving BSF, NDRF and SDRF personnel since Thursday.

An official told The Telegraph that residents sighted the body of circle officer Sanju Das, 39, floating in the river around 11am.

The boat had sank about 20 feet from the bank after hitting an underwater pillar/concrete structure near the under-construction Dhubri-Phulbari bridge with over 28 people on board. Most swam to safety or were rescued. Only Das remained untraceable.

“They started shouting, drawing the attention of the three magistrates present nearby. The magistrates alerted the search teams and soon the body was retrieved about 1km downstream from the mishap site,” the official said.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted: “After continued efforts by our rescue teams, the body of Circle Officer Sanju Das, who went missing in the recent Dhubri boat mishap, was recovered… downstream from the accident spot. My deep condolences to his bereaved family. May his atman attain sadgati. Om Shanti!”

Das had gone to inspect an erosion site on his bike but had to take the boat back to Dhubri because he and others were allegedly turned away by L&T personnel working on a temporary bridge near the under-construction Phulbari-Dhubri bridge, triggering a massive search operation that involved deep divers and drones.

Das’ last rites will be performed in Silchar, his native place.

Two L&T engineers have been arrested for alleged negligence based on an FIR lodged by the Dhubri district administration under the disaster management act on Friday. They were remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody by a local court.