Itanagar: A brutal revenge killing in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Kameng district has led to the arrest of six individuals, following an exhaustive investigation into the murder of a man whose body was found with multiple cut wounds near the Pachi River late last year.
On December 15, 2024, police received an FIR from residents of Kapu Dada village reporting the disappearance of their father, Takom Dada. A day later, his naked body—bearing deep machete wounds to the head, back and neck—was recovered from the riverbank. A case was immediately registered at Chayang Tajo police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Faced with no eyewitnesses and a remote crime scene 45 km from Seppa, police relied on technical surveillance to crack the case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by SP Kamdam Sikom and supported by Police Headquarters, Itanagar, zeroed in on an unidentified mobile number active near the crime scene. The number’s link to other suspects helped identify all those involved.
By January 2025, anticipatory bail pleas by the accused—Kaller @ Sambo Jelly Lamgu, Ashing Lamgu, Tabing Lamgu, Tungdang Lamgu, and Rasam Lamgu—were rejected by the Gauhati High Court’s Itanagar bench. Most went into hiding. However, the police tracked and arrested the first accused, Tungri Lamgu, from Naharlagun on January 17.
As the legal process advanced, the Supreme Court dismissed bail pleas filed by key accused. With mounting pressure, Kaller, Tungdang, and Rasam Lamgu surrendered on February 18, followed by Tabing Lamgu on March 19. The last of the six, Ashing Lamgu, was arrested after his bail was denied twice in April.
Police have confirmed the murder was an act of vengeance stemming from a previous attack in December 2023. In that incident, Takom Dada had allegedly assaulted Longya Lamgu with a machete in a dispute over a Mithun, a semi-domesticated animal native to the region. Longya later died of his injuries, and though Takom was arrested, he was out on bail when he was killed.
“This case is a stark reminder that taking the law into one’s own hands only leads to more tragedy. Acts of revenge offer no real justice as they only deepen suffering,” said SP Kamdam Sikom.
All six accused are now in judicial custody as charge sheets have been filed. East Kameng Police have urged residents to reject revenge killings and resolve disputes through legal means.
“We appeal to every citizen to uphold the rule of law and contribute to peace in the district,” Sikom added.
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