ITANAGAR, 21 May: The North East Human Rights (NEHR) has demanded the immediate suspension of the Siang district superintendent of police (SP) and disciplinary proceedings against him for his alleged gross professional misconduct and abuse of power during an official visit to Reiw village on 13 May.
In a complaint lodged with the Director General of Police (DGP) on Wednesday, the NEHR stated that “the SP had not only participated in a meeting convened by the Boleng ADC in Reiw village on that particular day, but also addressed the villagers in a manner akin to a representative or spokesperson for the dam developers.”
“A rough translation of his speech suggests that he urged the villagers to agree to the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) for the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose 11,500 MW dam project, stating that even if the present government fails, the next government will certainly succeed in conducting the PFR-perhaps in ten years-but by then, he might no longer be posted here,” the NEHR said, and claimed that “he went on to say that he shared this because he feels the villagers are like his own brothers.”
Under what authority did the SP speak on behalf of the dam developers? Is there any provision in law or service rules that empowers a police officer to become an advocate for a controversial development project and exert undue influence over villagers? the NEHR questioned, further claiming that the police officer had violated the service conduct rules applicable to public servants and police personnel. The NEHR argued that he engaged in professional misconduct, abused his official position and authority, and attempted to coerce and manipulate innocent and vulnerable villagers under the guise of law and order.
Stating that the issue of mega dams like the SUMP is extremely sensitive in Arunachal Pradesh-“with numerous lives lost and others permanently injured in protests and
clashes in other dam cases”-the NEHR said that the rights of indigenous people must be respected and protected in accordance with the Constitution and international norms. The NEHR further requested an impartial investigation into the conduct of all officers who participated in the meeting to ensure accountability.
Referring to a similar case in 2023, where no disciplinary action was taken against the officers concerned, the human rights body noted that “then Itanagar SP Rohit Rajbir Singh and Capital Complex District Magistrate Talom Potom illegally detained a minor girl under the APUAPA Act, 2014. She was kept in district jail for over a week, and only after it was realized that she was a minor was she transferred to the Observation Home in Pasighat. Later, the principal magistrate of the Juvenile Justice Board ordered her release, noting that the minor was illegally detained for 16 days, was never produced before the JJ Board within 24 hours, and was unlawfully sent to the Observation Home in Pasighat.”
“Despite our earlier complaints, no disciplinary action was taken against the concerned officers in that case. Such impunity cannot continue,” the complaint letter concluded.
