Itanagar: A construction labourer from Assam died on Monday after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head at a worksite in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Roing, following an alleged dispute over financial matters.
The victim, identified as Shankar Pegu of Borajuli village in Assam’s Biswanath district, was reportedly shot around 4 pm by Tadar Bhai, a resident of Sagalee in Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district, according to Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Chukhu Apa.
In a puzzling turn of events, instead of taking the injured man to a nearby hospital, the accused drove over 400 km to Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) in Naharlagun.
Pegu was admitted around 11 pm but succumbed to his injuries early Monday morning.
“The delay in seeking immediate medical attention at closer facilities, such as in Dibrugarh or Roing itself, is under investigation,” said the IGP.
Police have arrested the accused and recovered the pistol used in the shooting.
A case has been registered at Roing police station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to murder, and Section 27(1) of the Arms Act.
A team from Lower Dibang Valley district has taken the accused into custody.
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Shankar Pegu is survived by his parents, wife, and two daughters.
This is the second serious incident involving migrant labourers in Lower Dibang Valley within a week. On July 11, another migrant worker was lynched by a mob in Roing after being accused of sexually assaulting minors.
The district administration has since imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144, restricting movement in the area—restrictions that remain in place.
