Arunachal: Sensational twin suicide case handed over to crime branch SIT

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh government has transferred the sensational twin suicide case involving allegations of sexual abuse, coercion, and corruption by government officials to the Crime Branch (SIT) at the state police headquarters for a swift and conclusive investigation.

An order issued by Director General of Police Anand Mohan on Tuesday stated that all relevant case records and documents would be handed over to the Crime Branch (SIT) without delay to facilitate further investigation. The case was previously being handled by the Nirjuli police station near Itanagar.

The development comes a day after police arrested former Itanagar Capital Region (ICR) Deputy Commissioner Talo Potom in connection with the case. The senior bureaucrat, who is currently posted as Special Secretary (PWD) with the Delhi government, surrendered at Nirjuli police station at around 7:30 a.m. on Monday after remaining untraceable since the incident came to light on Thursday. Police had earlier issued a look-out notice against him.

Potom was subsequently remanded to 14 days' judicial custody by the court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Papum Pare district and is presently lodged in Jully Central Jail.

According to police, the case pertains to the death of Gomchu Yekar, a young Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) employee, who allegedly died by suicide at his rented apartment in Lekhi village, Nirjuli, on October 23. A handwritten note recovered from the scene reportedly mentioned harassment and coercion by two senior officials - Potom and Rural Works Department (RWD) Executive Engineer Likwang Lowang.

Lowang also allegedly died by suicide on the same day at his residence in Longding district, police said.

Initially, police registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) at Nirjuli police station. However, the victim's family later claimed that multiple suicide notes were found, in which Yekar levelled grave allegations against both officials.

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