ITANAGAR, Sep 25: At least seven more persons were arrested in connection with the death of Toko Yame, whose semi-decomposed body was recovered near JNV School at Tawang on Sunday after nine days of rigorous search operation.
Earlier, two persons were already taken into police custody for investigation, informed Tawang SP Manoj Kumar Meena.
The Tawang District Police has launched further investigation, the SP informed.
The body of Toko Yame has been sent to TRIHMS, Naharlagun to conduct post-mortem.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has ordered a thorough inquiry into the death of the student.
Stating that the state government has taken up the case very seriously, he asked the authority concerned to conduct a thorough inquiry to unearth the truth and ascertain the reason behind the death.
The student went missing after a brawl broke out between students on September 16 last, after which a massive search operation was conducted by the district administration, police and locals.
He assured the family members that the perpetrators would not be spared in any circumstance and would be taken to task according to the law of the land.
Conveying his deep sense of condolence to the bereaved family members, Pema said that the state government will ensure that timely justice is delivered to the aggrieved family.
“Whosoever is found involved in the mysterious death of the young student, would not be spared,” he said after issuing the orders for a thorough investigation.
The Chief Minister also issued directives to the Home Department to beef up the security apparatus in the area to check further occurrence of such unfortunate incident.
Expressing grave concern over the unfortunate death of the student, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) also demanded a thorough investigation into the case and the circumstance that led to the death of the young student.
AAPSU also expressed shock and displeasure over the incident, which took place among young students and appealed not to give it a communal colour.
It also condemned the negligence of the bus driver of the Horticulture Department, in which a young student lost her life. The union demanded the Department to compensate the victim’s family.
Further, demanding that Toko’s death case be investigated by the CBI, the All Tawang District Students’ Union (ATDSU) demanded the district administration hand over the case to the premier investigation agency for free and fair investigation.
It also demanded immediate suspension of police on duty on September 16 and immediate arrest of the culprit(s) involved in his death to expedite the investigation.
The ATDSU gave the Tawang Deputy Commissioner 10 days with September 26 being the first day to fulfil the demands, failing which the union threatened to launch democratic movement.
Describing the incident as cold-blooded murder, the East Kameng Social Welfare and Cultural Organisation and All East Kameng District Students Union in a joint memorandum to the Tawang Deputy Commissioner demanded arrest of the murderers within three days and to book them under Section 302 IPC.
Stating that the mob attack on JNV could have been averted had the police on PCR duty tried to control and stop the mob from entering the JNV campus, the memorandum further demanded immediate suspension of the erring officers till proper inquiry is over.
“Failure to fulfil the demands would compel us to withdraw the resolution signed or adopted on September 22 at the DC office,” it threatened.
