ITANAGAR, 23 Jun: Assam’s Jonai unit of the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), along with the Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) and Takam Mising Mime Kebang (TMMK) have sought Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma’s intervention in delivering justice to Probash Doley, a labourer from Dekapam in Assam’s Dhemaji district, who was found murdered near an under-construction building site in Chimpu near here on the night of 18 June.
The police have arrested a person, identified as Tai John (26), in connection with the murder.
In their representations to both the chief ministers on Monday, the organizations demanded constitution of a joint high-level investigation team, comprising officials from both the state’s Home Departments to conduct a thorough and impartial probe into the murder case.
“A coordinated inquiry will ensure that facts are thoroughly established, jurisdictional concerns addressed, and justice is served in a credible and impartial manner,” the memorandum read.
The organizations also demanded that the trial against the perpetrator of the crime be conducted in a fast-track court.
“The alleged perpetrator Tai John must be immediately prosecuted under relevant sections of the law. We demand that the trial be conducted in a fast-track court, ensuring exemplary punishment to deter such violent acts in the future,” the memorandum, submitted to Arunachal CM through the Jonai co-district commissioner, read.
The organizations said that the incident is not just a law and order issue; it is a matter of human rights and dignity. It demanded that the state must protect workers’ rights, ensure justice for the deceased, and set a precedent that no one is above the law.
The organizations also questioned the role and accountability of the building owner and the contractor concerned.
“The role of the building owner and the contractor concerned in this matter must be thoroughly investigated,” the memorandum said.
Stating that Doley was the sole breadwinner of his family and considering his poor background, the organizations demanded the state governments to provide Rs 1 crore ex gratia, educational assistance for dependents, and livelihood support to surviving family members of the victim.
The organizations said that the incident has shaken the conscience of the local community and raised critical questions about the safety, dignity and rights of workers in Arunachal Pradesh.
“His death has not only created on irreplaceable vacuum in his family but has also exposed the gross negligence and lack of accountability on the part of the building owner and the contractor, under whose supervision the victim was employed,” it said.
Earlier, in the morning, the organizations staged a dharna and blocked National Highway 515 at Dekapam in Assam’s Dhemaji district for more than two hours, demanding capital punishment for the perpetrator of the crime.
The protesters threatened to intensify the movement if their demands are not met.
