He didn’t look away. He stepped in. And that act of courage cost him dearly.
National Award-winning filmmaker Dominic Sangma was allegedly assaulted by two men near Rakap village in Itanagar on Wednesday evening — not because he provoked anyone, not because of a personal dispute, but simply because he chose to intervene when students were being harassed right in front of him. That decision landed the celebrated Meghalaya director at the receiving end of a violent attack that has since sparked outrage across the Northeast.
It was around 6:30 pm when Sangma, who heads the Screenwriting Department at the Film and Television Institute of India’s (FTII) Jote campus in Arunachal Pradesh, was on an evening walk near the Jollang-Rakap road. By all accounts, a perfectly ordinary Wednesday evening. Then he saw it — two young men allegedly going after FTII students. Sangma stepped in.
What happened next is the part that’s hard to swallow. The two men turned on him.
His wife, Karry Padu, took to Facebook shortly after, and her words carried a weight that no official statement could match. “My husband was attacked by some local boys around the Rakap village near FTII JOTE today by two young boys,” she wrote. She alleged the attackers were carrying bamboo sticks and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. Not just Sangma — she said an FTII security guard and four students were also assaulted and, disturbingly, wrongfully restrained during the incident.
“I feel angry and ashamed at the same time,” Padu wrote, calling on the police and government to ensure those responsible face punishment.
That frustration is completely understandable. A man who has dedicated his life to storytelling, to building something meaningful at an institute that nurtures young creative minds in one of India’s most culturally rich regions, was beaten for doing the right thing. There’s something deeply unsettling about that.
Police have since registered an FIR at Balijan police station under Sections 115(2), 117(2), 126 and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused have been identified as Techi Nanu and Techi Sanjay, both residents of Rakap village. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
For those unfamiliar with Sangma’s work, he is one of the most important voices in Garo-language cinema. His film Rapture earned him the Best Garo Film award at the 66th National Film Awards — a recognition that speaks to his craft, his commitment, and his deep roots in the culture he represents. He’s not just a filmmaker passing through Arunachal Pradesh; he is someone who chose to be there, to teach, to contribute.
And this is what he got in return for that evening walk.
The FTII campus at Jote is meant to be a place where the next generation of Indian filmmakers grows and learns. Students there are away from home, in unfamiliar terrain, dependent on the safety of their surroundings. The idea that they were being harassed near campus — and that the one man who stood up for them was then beaten with bamboo sticks — raises serious questions about the security situation in and around that area.
Calls are growing louder for swift action against the accused. And rightly so. Because if a National Award winner can be attacked in broad evening light for showing basic human decency, nobody near that campus should feel safe until those responsible are held fully accountable.
Justice delayed in cases like this doesn’t just hurt one man. It sends a message to everyone watching about what happens when you dare to do the right thing.
