Illegal bandh call in Arunachal's East Kameng district: 21 arrested,10 served notices

The East Kameng district police have taken decisive action against an illegal bandh call that disrupted public peace and order in Seppa town from May 10 to May 12 . The call for a three-day bandh was made by a group of anti-social individuals, including Tamo Natung, Mander Chege Taniang, Karan Beyong, and Jaram Riang. However, the district administration had already declared the bandh call illegal, leading to the subsequent actions taken by the authorities.

During the bandh period, the East Kameng Police, along with magistrates, maintained a strong presence to prevent untoward incidents and damage to public property. Despite their efforts, several incidents were reported during the bandh call, leading to the registration of multiple FIRs by the district administration.

The first incident occurred on the morning of May 10 when a group of bandh enforcers, led by Mander Chege, Tamo Natung, Jeram Riang, Tacho Dodum, Karab Beyong, and others, gathered near Deewana Hotel Tri-junction Seppa. They proceeded to march around Seppa town, forcing shops to close and obstructing daily commuters. They even forcefully entered the DC office Seppa, violating the district administration's orders. Inside the office, they obstructed public servants from performing their duties and formed an unlawful assembly with the intent to cause a riot.

In another incident on the afternoon of 10th May, unidentified individuals from the mob blocked the road from Pacha Bridge to Bebo Colony using pipes belonging to the PHED department, causing damage to public property. The police later removed the pipes to restore traffic flow, but the act inconvenienced the public.

On May 12, miscreants set fire to tires on a public road at Type-1 colony, Seppa, and damaged a telecom pole, aiming to disrupt vehicular movement and cause damage to public property. Additionally, a video uploaded by Voice Now media showed unidentified miscreants causing nuisance and stopping vehicular movement at Rajabapak Colony, Seppa. However, the mob fled before they could be identified.

Following these incidents, four FIRs were registered in the Seppa Police Station based on the complaints by magistrates. The FIRs include charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) related to unlawful assembly, obstruction of public servants, rioting, damage to public property, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act.

In a significant development, 21 individuals, including 13 males and 8 females, have been arrested in connection with the bandh call and subsequent incidents. Additionally, 10 persons (5 males and 5 females) have joined the investigation after receiving notices under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). Notably, two government servants have also been arrested for their involvement in the bandh call and illegal rally. They are Karcha Dodum, an Agriculture Field Assistant in Bameng, and Shri Tacho Dodum, a head assistant in the RWD department Seppa.