Authorities in Naharlagun, Arunachal Pradesh, have arrested an IAS officer after he surrendered to police. He was named in a distressing note left by a deceased teenager, who accused him of sexual harassment and exploitation. The arrest occurred on Monday, October 27, 2025.
Naharlagun and Itanagar, which are just 15 kilometers apart, together constitute the Itanagar Capital Complex.
According to Naharlagun Superintendent of Police, Nyelam Nega, Talo Potom turned himself in at the Nirjuli police station around 7:30 a.m. He is expected to appear before a magistrate shortly.
Mr. Potom, an IAS officer who was serving as Secretary in Delhi’s Public Works Department and had been promoted from the Arunachal Pradesh Civil Services, was on leave in his home state. During this time, a 19-year-old was tragically discovered dead at his rented residence in Lekhi village, Papum Pare district, at approximately 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
The victim’s father filed a First Information Report (FIR), stating that several handwritten notes were found in the room where the tragedy occurred. These notes explicitly accused Mr. Potom and an executive engineer from the State’s Rural Works Department of long-term sexual exploitation and harassment.
The notes further claimed that persistent humiliation, coercion, and threats ultimately led the young man to his death.
Police also reported that Likwang Lowang, the executive engineer implicated in the notes, was found deceased at his Khonsa home in Tirap district on October 23. His death occurred just hours after his connection to the teenager’s case came to light.
Mr. Potom had been at large since October 25, when a lookout notice was issued by the State police in relation to the victim’s passing. He is formally listed as a primary accused in the FIR filed by Nirjuli police, with charges brought under applicable sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita of 2023.
Before his surrender, the IAS officer released a video statement vehemently denying the allegations. He asserted that he had no personal relationship with the deceased, stating that he had only employed him as a contractual multi-tasking staff member during his time as Deputy Commissioner in Itanagar.
He urged everyone to respect the legal process, explaining that his surrender was a step towards ensuring a fair and impartial investigation into the tragic death.
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