Double Suicide In Arunachal Amid Sexual Exploitation, Threat Allegations

A 19-year-old man and a senior government official have ended their lives in Arunachal Pradesh, in a sensational case of a double suicide raising allegations of sexual exploitation, manipulation, and threats.

Gomchu Yekar, 19, was found dead at his rented accommodation near Itanagar on Thursday. The suicide came to light after a neighbour noticed his door was open but received no response. A suicide note was later found, accusing two senior government officials of sexual abuse and harassment.

The man's father, Tagom Yekar, had filed a case accusing Talo Potom, IAS officer and former deputy commissioner, and Likwang Lowang, executive engineer at Rural Works Department, of abetment to suicide, police sources said.

The police had initially registered a case of unnatural death, and relevant charges were added after the recovery of the suicide note, they added.

The suicide note contains serious allegations of sexual exploitation, manipulation, and threats, sources said. It mentioned that Yekar was recruited by one of the officials and that the situation was such that he could not live anymore.

He also alleged that he had contracted HIV and was subsequently abandoned and blackmailed by the officials. In the suicide note, the officials were accused of refusing financial assistance to Yekar despite promising to give him Rs 1 crore and threats that they would "destroy his life."

Lowang shot himself dead yesterday after being named in the suicide note.

No arrest warrant has been issued yet against Potom, currently posted as Special Secretary in the PWD department in Delhi, sources said.

The Arunachal Pradesh Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.  The SIT is being headed by Itanagar SDPO Kengo Dirchi. 

A police team conducted a raid at Potom's residence in Itanagar. Investigators discovered that Potom had inserted one of his SIM cards into a brand-new mobile phone and left it in his bedroom, while a second SIM card was recovered from his caretaker's possession.