AITF condemns murder of T&E inspector, laments ‘money culture’ in student politics

ITANAGAR, 16 May: The Arunachal Indigenous Tribes Forum (AITF) has vehemently condemned “the heinous crime of torture and murder” of tax & excise (T&E) inspector Tamik Taki, stating that Taki had been “abducted from RWD Colony, Itanagar, on 22 April and the decomposed body was recovered floating in the Siang river in the BFCC area in Tuting.”

Taki was a native of Komsing village in Siang district.

Following a hurriedly convened meeting here on Monday, the AITF issued a press release, stating that the condition in which the inspector’s body was found – “with tied hands and legs by 6 mm GI wire with multiple injuries” – exhibited “the sordid episode of third degree barbaric torture before he was killed, which tantamount to rarest of rare crimes,” and urged the home department to ensure immediate arrest of the culprit(s), and to award them capital punishment.

It was decided during the meeting to take out a peaceful candlelight march from Akashdeep shopping complex to the Solung-Mopin ground in 0 Point Tinali on 18 May, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, to express solidarity with the Adi Ba:ne Kebang and the family members of the deceased.

Further, referring to the ongoing All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) election, the AITF members expressed “acute displeasure over the present trend of money and muscle culture, threat and intimidation and sporadic ugly violence.”

It urged the administration and the police to be “very, very vigilant for peace and security and ensure law and order during the AAPSU electioneering process.”

The AITF also appealed to every responsible citizen of the state “not to interfere, involve (or) support the students’ election in any form or render financial, moral (or) logistic support.

“Let it be played sportingly amongst the students, and we condemn participation of non-students in AAPSU election and those non-students participating in AAPSU election must be socially condemned and stern action initiated by the law enforcing machineries, infusing foolproof and sound intelligence network system,” it added.

The electioneering process should rather find a back seat and every candidate should strive to create a pan-Arunachal ambience and mutual love and respect, the AITF said.

“Every mouth of our children (students) needs to recite the mantra of ‘one Arunachal’,” it said.