Arunachal: RWD Engineer Likwang Lowang Found Dead in Gomchu Yeker Case
The twin tragedies, unfolding within the span of a single day, have ignited demands for a high-level probe into claims of abuse and cover-up in the state’s administrative circles.
KHONSA/ ITANAGAR- In a harrowing sequence of events that has sent shockwaves through Arunachal Pradesh, a 19-year-old youth’s suicide note alleging sexual exploitation by senior government officials has been followed by the apparent suicide of one of the accused just hours later.
The twin tragedies, unfolding within the span of a single day, have ignited demands for a high-level probe into claims of abuse and cover-up in the state’s administrative circles.
In the first incident, Gomchu Yekar, a resident of Lekhi village near Itanagar, was found dead in his rented accommodation on Thursday afternoon, October 23. Initial investigations by local police point to suicide, with multiple handwritten notes recovered from the scene laying bare explosive accusations against high-profile figures.
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In the notes, Yekar implicated Rural Works Department (RWD) Executive Engineer Likwang Lowang and IAS officer Talo Potom— former deputy Commissioner of Itanagar Capital Complex , currently serving as Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), Government of Delhi— of subjecting him to prolonged sexual harassment, coercion, and emotional manipulation over several months.
The notes explicitly described the alleged exploitation as the driving force behind his decision to end his life, branding it as abetment to suicide.
Yekar’s father, Tagom Yekar, lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Nirjuli Police Station later that evening, charging Lowang and Potom under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for abetment to suicide, sexual assault, and criminal intimidation.
Yekar’s family has demanded a thorough and independent investigation, including the involvement of central agencies, citing the powerful positions of the accused. His father wrote that the manner in which those in authority used their power to humiliate and exploit his son had driven him to despair and ultimately to suicide.
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After few hours in the second incident, Late Thursday night, around 11:30 p.m., Engineer Likwang Lowang was found dead at his official residence in Khonsa, Tirap district. Preliminary findings indicate he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound using a licensed firearm. No suicide note has yet been confirmed, but sources suggest the mounting pressure from Yekar’s revelations may have played a role.
Meanwhile, these two incidents, and the allegations hit like a thunderbolt in a state already grappling with youth mental health crises and sporadic reports of official misconduct.
