ITANAGAR: A youth died during a pre-poll violence that erupted in the 14th Mile labour camp in Khagok village near Tenga, West Kameng district, on late Saturday.
The clash was reported to have been sparked between supporters of independent candidate Tenzin Nyima Glow and the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA candidate Kumsi Sidisow of the 6-Thrizino-Buragaon constituency.
Rupa Police Station Officer-in-Charge, SI Deveso Chaitom, told a local daily that the deceased was reported to be a supporter of the BJP.
In a decisive move to restore calm in the area, District Magistrate Akrti Sagar invoked Section 144 and 144-S of the CrPC, imposing strict prohibitions on public assembly and the possession of lethal weapons within Nag Mandir to Tenga market, including the Chandit Top vicinity.
In response to the violence, Lama Sidisow, the BJP mandal chairman of 6-Thrizino-Buragaon, condemned the incident, labelling it as a “preplanned agenda of the opposition party”.
He urged for swift legal action against the perpetrators and those involved in orchestrating the tragic event.
The incident also drew condemnation from broader community leadership. Aka Shotuku Kunu, represented by General Secretary Dibru Dususow and President Gejay Jebisow, vehemently denounced the violence, calling for the disqualification of the independent candidate’s candidacy.
Meanwhile, amidst the turmoil, independent candidate Glow expressed profound sorrow over the incident, highlighting the imperative need for peace and harmony.
“I stand in solidarity with the grieving family,” he was quoted as saying by the daily.
Just last week, the election campaign across various regions of the state was marred by two distinct episodes of violence within a span of 48 hours.
The most recent incident unfolded in Tirap district on April 8, where clashes erupted between supporters of the Congress and the BJP, resulting in injuries to at least 10 individuals.
Of the injured, two individuals sustained severe wounds and have since been hospitalised for treatment at a medical facility in Assam’s Dibrugarh.
In another incident on the night of April 7, Likha Saaya, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state president and candidate for the Namsai seat, was allegedly attacked by unidentified miscreants at Piyong Village.
