Reported by Maksam Tayeng
Pasighat: Serious allegations have surfaced against Assam Police after members of the Arunachal Pradesh Anti-Drugs Warriors (APADW) organisation claimed that anti-drug activist and its president, Gumin Mize, was physically tortured while in custody in Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
According to members of the organisation, Mize was detained following an incident near the Assam-Arunachal border. Supporters alleged that he suffered severe physical abuse during detention, with photographs purportedly showing visible injuries and bruises on his body.
The incident has triggered widespread concern among youth organisations, civil society groups, and anti-drug activists across Arunachal Pradesh. Several groups have demanded an impartial inquiry into the allegations and called for judicial intervention to ensure accountability.
Supporters described Mize as a dedicated anti-drug campaigner who has worked extensively to raise awareness against substance abuse and assist youths through rehabilitation programmes in different parts of Arunachal Pradesh.
Human rights activists and community leaders have urged authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into the matter. They have also appealed to state and national human rights bodies to closely monitor the case and ensure due legal procedures are followed.
As of now, no official statement has been issued regarding the custodial torture allegations. However, the matter continues to draw public attention and debate across the region.
Several supporters of Mize, who is widely known for his anti-drug campaigns, questioned the Arunachal Pradesh government’s response to the matter and criticised the alleged lack of intervention by the state Home Department.
Others have urged Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene and initiate action against the police personnel allegedly involved in the assault.
Members of the Anti-Drugs Warriors organisation also alleged that Assam Police were treating Mize “like a terrorist and drug mafia” despite his role in fighting drug abuse in the region. They further claimed that the action against him could be linked to vested interests associated with drug networks operating along the Assam-Arunachal border.
The organisation further alleged that the complaint against Mize was filed by Popi Kakoti, wife of Rupam Kakoti, a resident of Chessa under Bihpuria Police Station in Assam’s Lakhimpur district, who was recently arrested by Arunachal Pradesh Police at the Banderdewa check gate on charges related to drug peddling.
Meanwhile, East Siang Zila Parishad chairperson Ruth Tabing Boko has written to Arunachal Pradesh Home Minister Mama Natung, seeking his intervention in the case while acknowledging Mize’s contribution to anti-drug initiatives in the state.
Supporters of Mize argued that both the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh governments should intervene promptly, stating that his anti-drug campaigns have received widespread public appreciation in Arunachal Pradesh.
Some civil society members also warned that failure to address the issue sensitively could affect public sentiment and relations between the two neighbouring states.