Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 12 Jul: Following the horrific mob lynching incident in Roing on Friday, in which the alleged rape accused, identified as Riza-ul Kurim from Bongaigaon, Assam, was killed by an enraged mob, the Lower Dibang Valley District Superintendent of Police, Ringu Ngupok, confirmed that an investigation is underway. Authorities are working to identify those involved in the mob vigilantism, and they will be brought to justice, the SP said while adding that a curfew has been imposed in the Roing township area, and the situation is now under control.
Two separate cases have been registered regarding mob vigilantism and vandalism
roing PS C/No. 41/2025 under Sections 61(2), 117(4), 191(2) BNS read with Section 3 of the PDPP Act, and Roing PS C/No. 42/2025 under Sections 103(1), 103(2), 132, 61(2), 333, 190, 191(2), 191(3) BNS read with Section 3 of the PDPP Act, the SP informed.
Reportedly, four companies of CRPF, IRBn, and civil police have been deployed in Roing township to maintain law and order.
The police further reported that on July 10, at approximately 20:35 hours, they received information about labourers being beaten by parents at a private school. The police immediately responded and rescued the laborers. Of the 17 rescued, two were severely beaten and were admitted to the District Hospital in Roing. The police later learned that the beating stemmed from an alleged sexual assault and molestation of seven minor girls at the school’s girls’ hostel.
The school authorities filed an FIR at around 23:00 hours, which was registered at 23:30 hours, under Roing PS Case No. 40/2025, under Sections 376(4), 75(2) BNS, read with Sections 10/12 of the POCSO Act. A police team, including the Superintendent of Police of Roing, was subsequently involved in a manhunt for the alleged perpetrators, who were on the run.
On the morning of July 11, the police received information that the victim’s family, along with local youths, had apprehended the prime suspect. A police team, led by two sub-inspectors, quickly rushed to the location and rescued the prime suspect from a jungle near Meka Village, about 3.5 km south of Roing town. The suspect had already been beaten by the victim’s family and youths.
The police team subsequently took him to the District Hospital in Roing for medical treatment. Due to the large crowd of the victim’s family and local youths, the suspect was immediately transferred to the Roing Police Station as a preventive measure to avoid further harm. The mob, estimated to be around 500 to 600 youths, gathered at the District Hospital in Roing and arrived at the police station within five minutes, the police added.
The mob began vandalizing the Roing Police Station despite continuous resistance by the police, eventually breaking down the main door and lock after about one and a half hours of resistance, the police said. The accused was taken out and brutally beaten, the police said adding that he was then rushed to the District Hospital for further medical treatment, but the unruly mob followed and vandalized the emergency room while he was receiving care. The accused succumbed to his injuries around 15:30 hours, the police confirmed.
A post-mortem examination was conducted on the deceased on Saturday afternoon in the presence of a judicial magistrate, and the body was subsequently handed over to the relatives.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that eight minor girls, aged between six and nine, have undergone medical examinations following allegations of sexual abuse.
A team from the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights led by Chairperson Ratan Anya and Member Nguarang Achung, is currently in Roing to conduct an independent inquiry into the matter.
