Ziro-Hapoli legislator of Arunachal Pradesh Tage Taki. Photo: Damien Lepcha

Ziro-Hapoli legislator Tage Taki has urged Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to immediately conduct an inquiry into the death of Arunachalee youth Tage Dule and punish the killers who were involved in the crime.

Dule was allegedly thrown out of the Arunachal Express (Delhi-Naharlagun) at Gonda in Uttar Pradesh around 1 am on August 3. He died hours later in a Lucknow hospital.

“This is not an isolated incident, but a part of the continuing discrimination against the people of the North East. It is really sad that our people, who are among the most patriotic Indians, have to face such maltreatment in mainland India,” Taki said.

“Loss of a promising young man in this way is tragic and nothing can make up for it. The least the government and the society can do is to give justice to him and his family members. In addition, such incidents taking place in running trains raises the larger question of railway safety. Therefore, I request you to kindly initiate action to find out the culprits by any means and give exemplary punishment,” he said.

“I hope you will expeditiously take up the issue and see to it that our people get justice and such incidents do not recur in future,” the MLA added.

Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju has also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate into the death.

Rijiju said that the probe should also ascertain whether the incident is related to discrimination against the Northeast people.

The Minister also asked the Uttar Pradesh government and the Ministry of Railways to extend all necessary support to the family members of the deceased in this hour of crisis.

Damien Lepcha is Northeast Now Correspondent in Arunachal Pradesh. He can be reached at: [email protected]