Arunachal: Three accused in scribe's murder charge-sheeted

Arunachal Pradesh police on Wednesday charge sheeted three accused involved in the shooting incident of a lady journalist in Itanagar last year.

Tongam Rina, the associated editor of 'The Arunachal Times', the first English newspaper of the state owned by former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, was shot at on July 15 last year while she was entering her office in the evening.

The accused Ajit Pegu, Raju Gurung and Gamke Veo was recently arrested while the fourth accused Yumlang Achung, who plotted the conspiracy is absconding, Superintendent of Police Nabum Gungte said.

While Ajit Pegu, 24, hails from Pathali Pahar in the neighbouring North Lakhimpur district, Raju Gurung, 25, stays at Naharlagun near hear and Gamke Veo hails from Chayang Tajo in East Kameng district.

Achung, who is absconding, stays at SenkiPark in Itanagar. The police on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against the three accused who was under judicial custody in the court of chief judicial magistrate capital complex for trial, the SP said adding proclaimed offender proceeding against Achung is under way.

Three automatic weapons including the weapon used in shootout have been recovered from the possession of the accused. Forensic examination of the weapons had confirmed its use in commissioning of the crime, the SP said.

"The motive of the crime was that accused Yumlang Achung wanted to harm Rina for not highlighting him and his organisation's activities in her newspaper. He and his supporters have ransacked the newspaper office on several occasions prior to this incident," Gungte said.The investigation of the case has been completed and prima facie case well established against accused Yumlang Achung and his three accomplices, he added.