HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA, July 5: A year after the brutal murder of 18-year-old Gamrin Maket, a student from the indigenous Singpho community in Tinsukia district, the family’s wait for justice continues, with local organisations renewing their demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the case.
According to an official statement from the Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee (TADCDC), Maket’s body was discovered hanging on the verandah of St Paul School in Udaipur, under Lekhapani Police Station, on the morning of August 1, 2024—his hands and legs bound.
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The circumstances surrounding his death sparked widespread suspicion of foul play.
Gamrin, the only son of farmers Chantret and Jangko Maket from Khumchai Namo Gaon, was a Class 10 student at the school.
His death, described by the TADCDC as a “cold-blooded murder,” has seen little investigative progress despite multiple appeals to authorities.
TADCDC General Secretary and spokesperson Pallab Shyam Wailung stated, “This was no suicide. Gamrin’s hands and legs were tied, yet the post-mortem report claimed it was self-inflicted. We believe the case is being diluted under pressure from influential quarters.”
The case (No. 0038/24) was registered under sections 61(1)/103(1)/238/106, 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
However, the investigation has come under scrutiny for delays, inconsistencies, and alleged lack of forensic re-examination.
The murder triggered protests in Margherita, including road blockades and burning of tyres, demanding justice.
Multiple civil society organisations extended support, but no arrests have been made so far.
The TADCDC submitted a memorandum to Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, seeking a high-level judicial inquiry led by a retired Gauhati High Court judge and a re-examination of the post-mortem report.
The group also called for compensation of ₹1 crore for the victim’s family and the invocation of provisions under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Wailung alleged that the failure to register atrocity-related charges has denied tribal families their rights.
“One year has passed, and Gamrin’s parents are still waiting for justice. The Singpho community in both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh is united in their demand for accountability,” he said.
He further drew parallels with past unresolved crimes, including the murder of TADCDC activist Prasanna Turung and his wife in 2007, whose bodies remain unrecovered.
“This pattern of impunity reflects systemic neglect of crimes against tribal communities,” Wailung added.
The family and the broader Singpho community, known for its agrarian traditions and presence across Margherita and Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, are still reeling from the loss.
Wailung described Chief Minister Sarma as a “dynamic leader” and appealed to him to take decisive action to deliver justice.
The TADCDC has announced plans to intensify protests if their demands remain unfulfilled.
“We will not rest until the perpetrators are brought to book and Gamrin’s family receives closure,” Wailung said.
As the first anniversary of Gamrin Maket’s death approaches, the call for a CBI inquiry grows louder, with community members vowing to keep the fight alive until justice is served.
