Former Arunachal CM Kalikho Pul 'committed suicide': State DGP S Nithiyanandam

The circumstantial evidence and the forensic report into the cause of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul's death indicates that he committed suicide, stated DGP S Nithiyanandam said on 21 October.

IGP Naving Payeng said the Capital district Superintendent of Police had received the report of Pul's viscera test from the Guwahati-based forensic science laboratory last week.

"There are 99 per cent chances that he committed suicide," said state DGP S Nithiyanandam.

The 47-year-old leader's body was found hanging in the official Chief Minister bungalow here on 9 August, less than a month after he had to quit as Chief Minister following the 13 July Supreme Court verdict.

Denying that he had given any press statement ruling out foul play in his death, Payeng said the report did not find the presence of any poisonous evidence and confirmed it was a case of suicide.

However, all reports would be sent to the court, whose verdict on the cause of death would be final, he categorically stated.

Adding to the mystery, a handwritten 60-page note was found near Pul's body, titled 'My Thoughts', which was sealed by the police.

A case of unnatural death was registered and the state government had ordered a magisterial inquiry.

The sudden death had caused a stir in this Himalayan state's already volatile politics and led hundreds of Pul supporters to take to the streets, alleging foul play and demanding a CBI inquiry.

The state saw a major political churn last month with Chief Minister Pema Khandu along with 42 MLAs leaving the Congress and joining the Peoples' Party of Arunachal.

The 60-member state Assembly now has 11 MLAs belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party, three to Congress and two Independents.

In a swift turn of events in state's unstable political canvas, senior BJP leader Tamyio Taga was sworn-in as minister on 14 October, making the BJP coalition partner of Khandu-led PPA government to become an alliance of Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) headed by Assam Minister Hemanta Biswa Sharma.

Election Commission on 17 October announced by-election to the Hayuliang Assembly constituency - which fell vacant after Pul's death - to be held on 19 November.

The PPA and the BJP are planning to announce a joint candidate for the seat while Pul's third wife Dasanglu Pul is a frontrunner.

--PTI