Arunachal Scouts attack Bomdila Police Station

Guwahati, November 4, 2018:

The 2nd Arunachal Scouts (AS) personnel vandalized the Bomdila Police Station and PWD office during the second of the Buddha Mahotsav on Saturday.

A police official said that about hundred scouts attacked and vandalized the police station after the detention of two scouts on Friday.

The official added, “They also snatched arms and ammunition, and the mobile phone of the officer-in-charge (OC) while also threatening him of dire consequences."

The whole incident took place as on Friday, the police detained two intoxicated AS personnel for misbehaving at the festival’s celebration ground. A police team led by the OC brought the two personnel to the police station but the duo manhandled the OC and a policewoman.

After the officials of the AS were informed, the commanding officer came to the PS and took two personnel with him after the paper works.

The next morning, hundreds of AS personnel out of nowhere surrounded the police station and vandalized at least five police vehicles.The even pelted stones at the police station and vandalized property. They even snatched weapons stored in the station and manhandled police personnel.

Following this, all the community-based organisations (CBOs) of West Kameng held an emergency meeting and condemned the rogue behavior of the AS personnel.

The CBOs said they would submit a memorandum to the authorities concerned for further action.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) condemned the attack and demanded that the state government to institute an inquiry committee and award stringent punishment to perpetrators of such an unbecoming act.

“The attack is a strong breach of discipline by a paramilitary force that ought to be dealt with strongly. It is a kind of mutiny which does not have a place in our democratic setup. The incident has left a bitter taste in the mind of the common masses and a fear syndrome has engulfed the whole town of Bomdila, that too during the celebration of the auspicious Buddha Mahatsova,” it said.