APPSC Official Suspended in Paper Leak Case Found Dead, Hanging From Tree in Itanagar

A senior Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) official’s body was found hanging from a tree in the Poma area in Itanagar. The official was suspended due to his alleged involvement in the APPSC exam paper leak from August last year. At this point, it is unclear if this is a case of suicide or murder.

According to Superintendent of Police (Capital) Jimmy Chiram, Tumi Gangkak (45), an under-secretary of APPSC, left his house at 4 pm on Thursday and about an hour and a half later, his mobile phone went unreachable. His body was found on Friday evening hanging from a tree in Itanagar. Gangkak was summoned to court on February 22. Chiram added, “All aspects of the unnatural death will be investigated, including whether there were any life-threatening calls or messages to him.”

According to reports, Gangkak wrote on a WhatsApp group on the same day his phone went unreachable, “My dear esteemed members, I have never been involved in APPSC paper leakage. I am innocent but I am being targeted as I was the Assistant Controller of Examination.”

The case of the paper leak happened in August last year when the question paper for the assistant engineer (civil) exam, conducted by the APPSC, was leaked. Gyamar Padung, a candidate, filed a complaint about the leak at the Itanagar police station on August 29 last year. In October, this case was handed over to the CBI and since then, several officials have been suspended, made to resign, and arrested.

Vineet Washington