Arunachal Pradesh: Accused IAS officer areested in suicide, sex assault cases

An Arunachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer - Talo Potom - surrendered to the police in Naharlagun on Monday. He was subsequently arrested in connection with a sensational case involving the alleged sexual assault of 19-year-old Gomchu Yekar and the deaths by suicide of Yekar and Likwang Lowang, an engineer in the state's Rural Works Department.In his suicide note, Yekar had accused Potom and Lowang of sexual abuse, and Yekar's father, Tagom Yekar, later filed a police case accusing the government officials of abetment to suicide. Earlier, police issued a nationwide lookout notice against senior IAS officer Talo Potom, one of the accused named in the case.
Yekar allegedly died by suicide on the morning of October 23. He was working as a staffer in the Public Works Department, a job he said was given by Potom when the latter was the Itanagar Deputy Commissioner; this was between 2021 and 2025. Yekar said in his suicide note that he had become infected with HIV after being sexually abused, and after that was being blackmailed by the accused officials. Yekar’s name had previously surfaced in an impersonation case at Itanagar police station, where he was reportedly assisting enforcement duties during Potom’s tenure as DC, adding further layers to the investigation.
In his note, Yekar also claimed Potom and Lowang were involved in large-scale corruption and other 'immoral activities'. Yekar's family have now launched a public protest demanding justice for him, prompting tension in parts of the state capital.