Senior IAS officer Talo Potom surrendered to the police early Monday morning after a two-day manhunt that had gripped Arunachal Pradesh. The officer, who had been missing since Saturday, turned himself in at around 7:30 am, bringing a temporary end to the tense search operation launched by the state police. Potom is currently in police custody and being questioned in connection with the alleged suicide of a 19-year-old youth, Gomchu Yekar. The Superintendent of Police, Naharlagun, confirmed the surrender, saying that Potom’s appearance before the authorities has provided some relief to the ongoing investigation. The case, however, remains sensitive, having triggered widespread anger, protests, and calls for accountability across the state. Shortly after the surrender, a video statement from Potom surfaced on social media. In the statement, the IAS officer strongly denied all allegations mentioned in Yekar’s suicide note, calling them “false and baseless.” Potom explained that he had known Yekar during his time as the Deputy Commissioner of Itanagar Capital Region, when the young man volunteered to help the administration in its anti-drug and youth outreach programmes.
According to Potom, Yekar was later appointed as a Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) to assist in social and administrative work. The officer said that after he was transferred to New Delhi as Secretary, Public Works Department (PWD), he came to know that Yekar had been involved in a case related to a fake magistrate scam, in which money was allegedly collected from vendors in the name of the administration. Potom said he refused to intervene or offer help when Yekar’s wife sought financial assistance and support for his release, insisting that “the law will take its own course.” Potom said he was shocked to see his name mentioned in the suicide note and maintained that he had no connection with Likweng Lowang, an Executive Engineer in the Rural Works Department, who also died by suicide recently. He added that his surrender was voluntary and intended to allow a fair and transparent investigation. “I have full faith in the law and the judiciary,” he said in the video. Police sources said that Potom had been absconding since October 25, following the registration of Case No. 92/2025 at the Nirjuli Police Station under sections 108/271/272/3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. A Look Out Notice had been issued against him the same day. During the search, police traced his mobile phone signal to his residence, but later found the device in possession of a domestic helper. Investigators suspect Potom had swapped his SIM card to avoid detection.
The case has its roots in a suicide note allegedly left behind by Yekar, in which he accused Potom and Lowang of sexual exploitation and mental harassment. The allegations have caused deep outrage in Arunachal Pradesh, with civil society groups, student bodies, and the youth community demanding immediate justice for the victim. The All Tagin Students’ Union (ATSU), led by its General Secretary Vijay Domin, has been at the forefront of the protests. The group joined Yekar’s family in seeking swift government action and warned that they would bury Yekar’s body at Potom’s residence if authorities failed to respond within 24 hours. Speaking outside the TRIHMS mortuary, Domin also claimed that Yekar had contracted HIV/AIDS as a result of the alleged exploitation and appealed to others who might have faced similar abuse to come forward and undergo medical tests.
