APPSC paper leak: Section 144 in capital Itanagar amid 72-hour bandh call

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were clamped by the Arunachal Pradesh administration in the capital Itanagar on Wednesday to avoid any untoward incident following a 72-hour bandh called by a group of protesters till May 12 over the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) paper leakage case last year.

The protesters sought the state government to intervene in the matter and accept their demands, including declaring all the examinations conducted by the APPSC as “null and void”.

Meanwhile, due to the bandh in the capital town, business establishments, markets, banks, educational institutions, government and private offices have been closed and vehicles kept off the road.

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Imposing orders, the administration also warned decisive action against anyone found violating the restrictions on public movement.

Terming the bandh unnecessary, Itanagar deputy commissioner Talo Potom said that the situation here is normal.

“The administration is eyeing the situation. Everything is normal here. People have understood that the protesters don’t have any issue after all,” Itanagar deputy commissioner Talo Potom told reporters on Wednesday.

In February, a clash took place between Pan Arunachal Joint Steering Committee (PAJSC) and Itanagar police personnel leaving 10 people, including four cops injured over the APPSC recruitment examination paper leak.

As part of steps taken over the APPSC paper leakage issue, a special investigation cell was formed under the vigilance department and later handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in September last year following the investigation agency filed a charge sheet against eight accused persons in December.

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Among them, six, including examination in charge Taket Jerang, who was also the former deputy secretary and deputy controller of examinations at the commission, a teacher of a coaching Institute, and a candidate in the recruitment exam, were arrested over the paper leakage of the written examination (Mains) for the post of assistant engineer (Civil) last year.

Earlier, the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) and All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU) held a series of protests over the issue and also cited similar paper leak issues that occurred in 2014 and 2017.

So far 54 individuals, including 41 government officers, have been arrested in connection with the APPSC paper leak case.