Arunachal govt hands over student's death case to CBI

The Arunachal Pradesh government has conceded the demands of various students' organizations that sought a CBI probe into a nine-month-old case of a student's death in Tawang district and handed over the case to the central agency.

Toko Yame, a Class XII student of Government Higher Secondary School in Tawang, went missing under mysterious circumstances on September 16 following a scuffle between boys of his school and that of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV).

His bruised and semi-decomposed body was found a week later on September 23 at Biga waterfall, near JNV, in the district.

A special investigation team, formed to probe the case, had arrested 20 people in connection with the case. They were later granted bail by the court.

In a statement issued yesterday, the home department said the "seriousness and sensitiveness nature" of the matter prompted the state government to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

It also said that the state government has taken note of demands for expediting the probe by various students' organizations.

In a letter to the CBI, the state home commissioner said the decision to transfer the case to the cemtral agency was taken on the basis of the recommendations made by Director General of Police.

The gist of the case and status reports have also been duly submitted to the CBI, the statement added.

The All East Kameng District Students' Union had organised a peace march on Monday to seek justice for Yame.

Several organizations, including All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union, North East Students' Organisation and All Nyishi Students' Union, joined the rally at Indira Gandhi Park here.

The union members, during the rally, had served a 15-day ultimatum to the government to ensure justice for the teenager.