Reported by Farhana Ahmed
North Lakhimpur: The recent arrest of Gumin Mize, president of the Arunachal Anti-Drug Warriors (AADW), by Lakhimpur Police has sparked widespread reactions on both sides of the Assam–Arunachal Pradesh boundary, intensifying tensions in the inter-state region.
The arrest has prompted protests, allegations of conspiracy, and renewed scrutiny over the long-standing issue of drug trafficking along the border areas.
Gumin Mize (43), son of late Tagang Mize and a resident of Sibut village under Pasighat Police Station in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, was arrested by a team of Lakhimpur Police from Itanagar on the night of May 20, with assistance from Arunachal Pradesh Police.
Police said the arrest was made in connection with Bihpuria Police Station Case No. 72/2026, registered under Sections 329(1), 329(2), 117(1), 117(2), 109, 312, 324, 74, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 27(1) and 27(2) of the Arms Act.
According to Lakhimpur Police, Mize was arrested for his alleged involvement in an abduction and extortion case, including firing gunshots in Lakhimpur district earlier this month.
Police alleged that on February 2, Mize and his associates entered the tea plantation of Rupam Kakati (30) at Sessa-Rajgarh under Simaluguri Police Outpost in Lakhimpur district.
Kakati, described by police as a former drug addict undergoing rehabilitation, was allegedly abducted and taken to Doipung in Arunachal Pradesh, where a ransom of ?7 lakh was demanded.
Despite the payment of ransom, Kakati reportedly alleged that Mize later handed him over to police at Banderdewa while he was in possession of 51 grams of a banned substance. Police registered Case No. 08/2026 on February 6 under provisions of the NDPS Act, and Kakati was released on bail on April 10.
Lakhimpur Police further alleged that Mize again entered Kakati’s residence at Sessa, assaulted family members, and fired five rounds targeting him. During subsequent operations, police reportedly recovered a .22 rifle, a .22 revolver, and a Bolero vehicle without a registration number plate, leading to Mize’s custodial detention at Bihpuria Police Station.
The arrest has since triggered sharp reactions in Arunachal Pradesh, where several organisations and individuals have questioned the charges against the anti-drug campaigner.
The Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) has dismissed the allegations against Mize as baseless. Tapor Maying, secretary of APIYO, claimed that Mize had used his licensed revolver in self-defence.
Adding to the controversy, Buteng Tayeng of Namsai filed a complaint before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on May 24, alleging custodial torture of Mize by Lakhimpur Police. The complaint has been registered under Diary No. 11731/IN/2026.
Photographs circulating on social media, purportedly showing bruises on Mize’s body, have further intensified public outrage in Arunachal Pradesh and led to demands for accountability.
However, Lakhimpur Police strongly denied allegations of custodial torture.
Addressing reporters at a press conference in North Lakhimpur on Tuesday, Senior Superintendent of Police Gundendra Deka rejected the accusations.
“It is a matter of common sense to see where the photo was taken and whose photo it is. We have followed due process in the investigation, including interrogation and medical examination,” Deka said.
The controversy surrounding Mize’s arrest has once again highlighted the persistent problem of drug trafficking in the Assam–Arunachal border region, particularly around Banderdewa, the key Inner Line Permit (ILP) entry point connecting Lakhimpur district to Itanagar.
The region has long witnessed repeated arrests of drug peddlers and seizures of narcotics. Local sources allege that drug networks operating from Harmutty to Sessa-Rajgarh continue to fuel substance abuse among youths in the border belt. Concerns have also been raised over the alleged failure of authorities from both states to dismantle entrenched trafficking syndicates, with some suspects reportedly remaining active despite repeated arrests over the years.
As allegations and counter-allegations continue to mount, the case has emerged as a flashpoint in Assam–Arunachal relations, underscoring the complex intersection of anti-drug activism, law enforcement, and inter-state coordination.