ITANAGAR, 11 Feb: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Longding SP to provide complete information on the incident where a civilian was allegedly shot dead by army men in Pumao village in Longding district on 16 May, 2020.
The commission also directed the secretary of the defence ministry, department of military affairs, to submit a detailed investigation report on the incident on the same day between the troops of the 19th Sikh Regiment, Longding, and civilians of Pumao village within four weeks.
The NHRC directed them to provide detailed information after the Arunachal unit of the North East Human Rights Organization (NEHRO) sought the commission’s intervention in the incident.
In its complaint letter, the NHRC said that the NEHRO alleged that one civilian was shot dead and many were injured in firing by army personnel during a peaceful meeting which was held to discuss the alleged beating up of another civilian by army personnel.
“Later, the meeting turned out to be violent, when villagers got restless and started pelting stones at the army and in retaliation army personnel fired back,” the commission said, quoting the complainant.
The Longding SP, following the direction from the NHRC, intimated to the commission on 16 October, 2020 that a team of police along with district officials, including the executive magistrate and the DSP, rushed to Pumao village and conducted police and magisterial inquiry into the incident.
“Upon reaching the place of occurrence, one dead body was found lying with bullet injury on the head, who was later identified as Lamdan Lukham (60), a resident of Pumao village, Longding district. On 17.09.2020, upon receipt of complaint from the 19th Sikh Regiment Longding, an FIR was registered vide Longding PS Case No 26/2020 u/s 144/148/186/332/353 IPC.
On the same day (17/09/2020) on the receipt of another complaint from one Akai Wangpan, HGB, Pumao village and others, a cross FIR was registered vide Longding PS Case No 27/2020, u/s 304/326/34 IPC,” the commission said, quoting the SP’s report.
The SP, however, stated that further investigation is on.
The commission also said that a report was received from the undersecretary, ministry of defence, on 30 November, 2020, wherein it was stated that the department was awaiting the police and magisterial investigation/inquiry reports for submitting the detailed report by the department of military affairs.
The commission has directed the Longding SP to submit the latest status on both the FIRs (No 26/2020 u/s 144/148/186/332/353 IPC and No 27/2020, u/s 304/326/34 IPC,) within four weeks.
