The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Assam government to fast-track the investigation into the death of Lokhi Wangsu, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, who was allegedly fatally shot by personnel of the Assam Forest Battalion. The incident occurred in the Towang reserved forest area on September 18, 2023, while Wangsu was looking for his missing domestic cow.
The NHRC has instructed the Superintendent of Police, Dibrugarh division, to submit a status report within two months. Despite receiving an updated status report from the SP in February, crucial documents such as the ballistic and viscera reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Assam are still awaited.
In a report submitted on November 16, 2023, the Dibrugarh SP informed the commission that two FIRs had been registered based on information provided by the range forest officer. The NHRC expressed concern over the indifferent attitude of Assam’s Environment & Forest Additional Chief Secretary and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest towards its directives. Underscoring the seriousness of the matter, the commission noted that no report had been received from the forest department despite previous reminders.
The NHRC has warned that coercive action under section 13 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, may be initiated against officials for non-compliance. The alleged killing of Wangsu in 2023 triggered widespread protests in Arunachal Pradesh, with civil organisations and student bodies demanding justice. Wangsu’s father accused Assam Forest officials of torturing his son, while Assam Forest officials alleged that villagers were timber smugglers trespassing in the forest reserve area under Assam’s jurisdiction.