Ex-Arunachal CM Kalikho Pul found hanging at home

FOUL PLAY? Supporters break into violent protests; police recover note titled My Vichar

GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh Congress leader Kalikho Pul who became chief minister for 146 days, allegedly committed suicide in Itanagar, police said on Tuesday, sparking violent protests by supporters suspecting foul play in the death.

The body of Pul, 47, was found hanging in his official residence on Tuesday morning by a domestic help, state director general of police S Nithianandam told HT.

“He may have committed suicide on Monday night itself.”

The state government ordered a magisterial inquiry to ascertain if there was foul play involved in the death, chief minister Pema Khandu told journalists in Itanagar.

Khandu, son of former CM Dorjee Khandu, was elected chief minister in a dramatic turn of events after Pul and 30 other former rebel Congress MLAs returned to the party.

Police said prima facie there was no sign of foul play in the death of Pul, who had rebelled against his predecessor Nabam Tuki and become the chief minister with the help of the BJP.

The rebellion in November had triggered a long-drawn political crisis in the state with the Congress accusing the Narendra Modi government of trying to dislodge democratically-elected opposition-ruled state governments.

Pul left office last month after a Supreme Court ruling ordered removal of his government. But he hadn’t vacated his official residence. He is survived by three wives and four children.

“A long note titled ‘my vichar’ (my thoughts), which contains details on various subjects, was found in the room where the body was hanging. I won’t call it a suicide note,” Nithianandam said.

The note along with all other evidence in the room has been sealed and will be presented before a magistrate, he added.

Reports said Pul was upset since the court order and had stopped communicating properly with others for the past few days.

Hundreds of Pul’s supporters staged protests on the streets of capital Itanagar and damaged property alleging foul play in his death and seeking an investigation by the CBI.

Many gathered outside Pul’s residence and shouted slogans. Police said some of them damaged property inside the official residence of deputy chief minister Chowna Mein’s and also pelted stones at parked vehicles.

Angry supporters also burnt an empty coffin on the street as authorities deployed additional security personnel in the capital.

The government announced a three-day mourning period and assured proper investigation into the death.

His body will be taken to his ancestral village on Wednesday and given a state funeral.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi were among those who expressed grief over the death of Pul.

Nabam Tuki, who had said after the Supreme Court ruling that he bore no ill will towards Pul, described his death as “a loss for entire Arunachal Pradesh”.

Pul belonged to the Kaman Mishmi tribe and hailed from Walla village in eastern Arunachal Pradesh’s Anjaw district — among the most backward areas.

He won his maiden assembly election in 1995.

(With agency inputs)