Guwahati: 2 arrested over Sonam Wangchuk murals; police launch probe into paintings on public property

Two people were arrested in Guwahati after allegedly painting a mural of activist Sonam Wangchuk on a public wall, while police also launched an investigation into other murals that recently appeared across the city, saying they involved damage to public property.

The arrests came as Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the past 20 days over repeated examination paper leaks, was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday morning amid heavy police deployment at the protest site.

According to police, a patrol team intercepted two youths on Friday night while they were painting a wall along the road leading to the Jyoti Bishnu auditorium. A case has been registered at Dispur Police Station.

"We have been seeing for the past few days that suddenly at night some people come and damage bridges and government building walls or campus walls, which are public property. Some people paint them, and in the name of painting they are damaged. Last night our patrol party found two youths damaging a wall... We apprehended them and have registered a case," a Guwahati East Police official said.

The official said the two told police they were painting an image of Sonam Wangchuk.

The arrests followed the appearance of a large mural of Wangchuk on a flyover pillar in the city, reportedly painted on Thursday night by students of the Government College of Art & Craft.

The artwork, accompanied by the words "Save Sonam Wangchuk", drew widespread public attention on Friday.

Police said an FIR had also been registered in connection with that mural and efforts were underway to identify those responsible.

"This is becoming a trend that suddenly someone comes and destroys and tampers with public property, which is not acceptable. In Basistha too, we have registered a case. There, at night, some people had come and painted on public property. We are identifying them, and we will take strict action," the official said.

The action comes weeks after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed deputy commissioners and superintendents of police not to allow unauthorised paintings on flyovers and other public infrastructure. The directive followed public criticism after a mural of singer Zubeen Garg was erased during a beautification drive in Guwahati.

Wangchuk has been protesting over repeated examination paper leaks and demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.