A senior IAS officer, Talo Potom (53), surrendered and was arrested in Naharlagun on Monday in connection with the alleged sexual assault and abetment to suicide of 19-year-old Gomchu Yekar and Rural Works Department engineer Likwang Lowang. Yekar’s suicide note, recovered after his death on October 23, accused Potom and Lowang of repeated sexual abuse, infecting him with HIV, and blackmailing him with threats to destroy his life unless he remained silent.

According to the note, Potom—then Itanagar Deputy Commissioner between 2021 and 2025—had given Yekar a job in the Public Works Department as part of the exploitation. Yekar claimed the officials promised ₹1 crore in financial aid but later refused, using his silence as leverage. He alleged large-scale corruption and “immoral activities” by both men. Following the note’s disclosure, Lowang died by suicide with a gunshot. Potom, currently posted as Special Officer in Delhi’s PWD, denied the allegations as “baseless” in a public statement.

Yekar’s body was discovered in his rented accommodation after a neighbor noticed an open door and no response. A post-mortem and HIV test have been conducted on both victims, with results pending. Yekar’s father, Tagom Yekar, filed a police complaint accusing the officials of abetment to suicide. A special investigation team led by Itanagar SDPO Kengo Dirchi is probing the case, including claims of systemic abuse and corruption.

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The family has launched public protests in the state capital, demanding justice and accountability. The case has triggered widespread outrage and tension in Arunachal Pradesh, raising serious questions about power misuse by senior officials. Police are examining digital evidence, financial transactions, and witness statements as part of the ongoing investigation.

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