A 20-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting minor girls was lynched by an enraged mob after being taken out of police custody in Roing town of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district.

The accused, identified as Riza-ul Kurim, was working as a labourer at a construction site near Mount Carmel Mission School, where the alleged assaults took place.

Kurim was arrested by Roing police on July 11 following allegations that he had sexually assaulted three to four teenage girls residing in the school hostel.

However, before legal proceedings could begin, a mob surrounded the police station, forcibly dragged the accused out, tied him to a tree, and beat him severely. He later died of his injuries.

The lynching has triggered unrest across the town. The district administration swiftly imposed a curfew under Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent further escalation. Additional security forces have been deployed, and the situation is being closely monitored.

In a related move, the administration ordered the immediate and permanent closure of Mount Carmel Mission School, directing parents to withdraw their children and arrange for their admission to nearby government or recognised private schools.

Officials have condemned the act of mob violence and urged residents to maintain calm and let the law take its course. Parallel investigations are underway – both into the molestation allegations and the circumstances leading to the mob lynching.

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