On the morning India turned 80, Sub-Inspector Tamo Bakhang quietly became one of the most decorated young police officers in Arunachal Pradesh’s history.
On Independence Day, August 15, 2026, the Arunachal Pradesh Government conferred its prestigious State Gold Medal on SI Bakhang — recognising a career that, in just about four years, has already carried more weight than most officers carry in decades. He is the only individual to receive the Gold Medal this year. The other recipient was an organisation. That detail alone says everything.
The Man Who Walked Into a Gunfight
Not many officers in their early years come face to face with an alleged drug kingpin. Bakhang did. In 2025, he drew attention statewide for his role in the Hollongi gunfight, where he reportedly confronted Rohit Basumatory — a name law enforcement agencies in Arunachal know all too well. The encounter put Bakhang on the map, and not the comfortable kind. This was the sort of situation where most people run in the opposite direction. He didn’t.
Stones, Shattered Glass, and a Near-Loss of Sight
If the Hollongi episode was about facing an armed threat, what happened earlier this year tested something even deeper. During bandh-related unrest near 6 Kilo in Itanagar, Bakhang’s vehicle was allegedly pelted with stones by agitators as he was heading toward the protest site. The impact shattered glass that tore into his eyes, and for a period, there were serious fears about partial or even permanent loss of vision. He was first treated at Niba Hospital, then moved to TRIHMS, and eventually flown to Delhi for advanced care. It’s the kind of injury that makes you reconsider everything. It would make most people walk away.
He Didn’t Walk Away
That’s the part that stands out the most. Despite the physical toll and the very real risk to his eyesight, Bakhang stayed connected to policing and public service. No grand press conferences about it. No headlines seeking sympathy. He simply kept going. And the State Government noticed. The Gold Medal, reserved for extraordinary contribution, is its answer.
Four Years In, a Lifetime of Impact Already
There’s something deeply meaningful about an officer being honoured like this at such an early stage of his career. SI Tamo Bakhang is not a legend built over thirty years — he’s a young man who, in a very short time, showed what it means to hold the line even when it costs you. Arunachal Pradesh gave him its highest individual recognition this Independence Day, but the truth is, Bakhang had already earned it long before any ceremony took place.
For a state often talked about only at its borders, this is a reminder that some of the most remarkable stories are unfolding right here, in its towns, on its roads — worn by the men and women who choose to keep people safe, no matter what it takes.
HASHTAGS
#TamoBakhang #ArunachalPolice #StateGoldMedal #BraveryAward #IndependenceDay2026 #80thIndependenceDay #HollongiGunfight #ArunachalPradesh #NortheastIndia #PoliceHero #AbotaniTV #ArunachalNews #IndiaAt80 #PoliceService #ITanagar #RohitBasumatory #ArunachalGoldMedal #CourageInUniform #NortheastHeroes #ProudArunachal
