Itanagar: Senior IAS officer Talo Potom surrendered to police at 7:30 am on October 27, concluding a two-day search operation launched after authorities issued a Look Out Notice against him. Potom, currently serving as Special Under Secretary (PWD) in New Delhi, has been taken into police custody, confirmed the Superintendent of Police, Naharlagun. His surrender comes amid widespread public outrage across Arunachal Pradesh.
Potom had been untraceable since October 25, when Arunachal Police named him as a prime accused in the alleged suicide of 19-year-old Gomchu Yekar. The case was registered at Nirjuli Police Station under Case No. 92/2025, invoking sections 108/271/272/3(5) of BNS 2023. The investigation intensified after police teams followed signals from Potom’s mobile phone, only to discover that the device was being used by a domestic help. Officers later learned that the officer had swapped his SIM card before leaving his residence, complicating tracking efforts.
The case revolves around a purported suicide note in which Yekar allegedly accused Potom and Rural Works Department Executive Engineer Likwang Lowang of sexual exploitation and mental harassment. The note claimed that the distress caused by the accused individuals pushed the youth to take his own life.
The allegations have sparked strong reactions from civil society, student bodies, and the general public. The All Tagin Students’ Union (ATSU), led by General Secretary Vijay Domin, has been at the forefront of protests alongside the victim’s family, demanding swift and transparent justice. On October 26, the union issued a one-day ultimatum to the state government, warning that Yekar’s body would be removed from the TRIHMS mortuary and buried at Potom’s residence if necessary action was not initiated.
Speaking outside the mortuary, Domin alleged that Yekar had contracted HIV/AIDS as a result of the exploitation and urged others who may have faced similar abuse to undergo medical testing. He stated that Yekar’s HIV-positive status had been medically confirmed.
The case has led to growing tension in Itanagar and surrounding areas, with increasing calls for accountability from senior government officials. Police are currently examining digital evidence, witness statements, and medical reports as the investigation progresses. Authorities have assured that due process will be followed as public scrutiny continues to intensify.
