72-hour Bandh affects normal life in several Arunachal districts

ITANAGAR: Normal life was affected in several districts of Arunachal Pradesh in the past three days following the 72-hour bandh call given by a few individuals and groups, in protest against the paper leak scam of the state public service commission, which ended on Saturday morning. All business establishments, including banks and educational institutions, remained closed, while attendance in government offices was thin during the period. All private and public transport remained off the road except for police and magistrate vehicles on duty.

The bandh, which began at 5 a.m. on May 10, remained largely peaceful. The state capital was paralyzed in the past three days as the state government suspended internet services, apprehending law and order problems. Police detained 37 people in the state capital under the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 2014, Capital Superintendent of Police (SP) Rohit Rajbir Singh said. The district administration had also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc in order to ensure the safety and security of the people, besides public and government properties, Singh said. The bandh also affected normal life in other eleven districts of the state, officials from the districts informed.

The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) fiasco had created uproar in the state, and massive agitations were held against it. Subsequently, the CBI took over the probe and arrested more than 50 people in the case. So far, 54 individuals, including 41 government officers, have been arrested in connection with the APPSC paper leak case. The paper leak scam came to light when Gyamar Padang, a candidate for the Assistant Engineer (Civil) exam conducted by the APPSC, lodged a complaint at the Itanagar police station on August 29, 2022, claiming that the question papers of examinations held on August 26 and 27 were leaked. Padang, the whistleblower in the question paper leak scandal, died at a hospital in Hyderabad on May 3 after a prolonged illness. The state government handed over the case to the CBI and also to the Enforcement Directorate to probe it.

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