‘We know who is behind it, let police find out’: Sikkim rapper’s manager on assault

Gangtok: Sikkimese rapper Ugen Namgyal Bhutia, popularly known as UNB, and his manager Deep Dhar were allegedly attacked by a group of men in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley on September 21, with Dhar saying the team has an idea about who may be behind the incident but has chosen not to publicly identify anyone.

“We know who is behind it, but we don’t want to name him. Let the police find out,” Dhar, UNB’s manager, said.

UNB had performed at the Anini Winter Festival on September 19 and spent the following day in Anini. On September 21, UNB, Dhar, an Assamese guitarist and their driver were travelling towards Roing when two vehicles allegedly followed them for nearly an hour before intercepting their vehicle near Tiwari Gaon in Lower Dibang Valley.

“They were actually following us for almost an hour,” Dhar said.

He said the incident unfolded along an isolated stretch where there was no mobile connectivity.

“In between, there is a stretch where there was no network zone. It was all like a jungle area,” he said.

According to Dhar, an Innova Crysta and a Bolero were involved. He said the Bolero initially overtook their vehicle, following which their driver overtook it. The Innova then allegedly stopped ahead of them on a narrow stretch, while the Bolero came from behind.

“The Innova, which was in front of us, immediately stopped the vehicle. We could not overtake again and we stopped the vehicle immediately. Then the Bolero, which had gone ahead, also came from the back and covered us in such a way that we could not go back or forward,” Dhar said.

He alleged that one man then emerged from the Innova and approached their vehicle.

“He asked our driver to open the vehicle. He said, ‘If you don’t want to die, open the vehicle,’” Dhar alleged.

The man allegedly asked where they were coming from before checking whether UNB was inside the vehicle.

“Once he figured out that UNB and his team were there in the car, he went to the backside Bolero and told them, ‘Yes, UNB is in this car.’ After that, the whole team of around eight to ten people came and started attacking us,” Dhar alleged.

Dhar said only he and UNB were attacked inside the vehicle. The other two occupants — the guitarist from Assam and the driver — were not assaulted.

UNB suffered injuries to his head and face, including swelling around one eye, while Dhar sustained an injury to his nose. Their vehicle was also damaged.

Dhar said the attackers fled after another vehicle approached the area.

“It was a very secluded jungle area. There were no other vehicles around. When a truck came, they ran away,” he said.

The incident was reported to Roing Police Station at around 7.50 pm. Police have said the remote location and lack of mobile connectivity posed challenges to the investigation.

An FIR was registered under Sections 126(2), 115(2) and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.

Dhar said police were continuing efforts to trace those allegedly involved.

“They are continuously on the hunt for these 10 to 12 people who were actually in this attack or planned that attack,” he said.

“At the moment, we just know one person has been arrested. Two more have surrendered. We don’t know who has surrendered yet,” he added.

Dhar declined to identify the person he believes may be connected to the incident, saying he wanted the police to establish the facts.

“I would like to keep it to the police department to figure out. Once they figure out, then of course everybody will come to know. We will also come to know. Then we will see who did what and why,” he said.

Police are also examining a possible professional rivalry between UNB and Arunachal Pradesh-based rapper Don Kam as one of the angles in the investigation. Police have confirmed that the rivalry and social media exchanges are among the aspects being examined, but have not established Don Kam’s involvement in the attack.

Asked whether a “beef” between rappers could have contributed to the incident, Dhar said such rivalries were common in the music industry but should not turn violent.

“In rap, it’s a normal thing. Any big artist, from the USA to India, everybody has their own sort of beef,” he said.

“But because of that, this attack is not something we expect. This is a normal skill — writing skills — where you have a beef about something with somebody, you will just keep on doing that. But this attack is not something we expect,” he said.

Dhar also rejected any attempt to portray the incident as a conflict between Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

“This is not an issue about Sikkim versus Arunachal. It is a personal beef between two rappers only,” he said.

He said the team would take greater precautions for UNB’s future performances.

“We will take more safety measures for UNB wherever he performs — all over India and all over the world,” Dhar said.

The incident prompted Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang to speak telephonically with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Tamang said he expressed concern over the attack and sought Khandu’s personal intervention to ensure UNB’s safety and well-being. Khandu assured him of prompt intervention and necessary action.

Khandu later said artists visiting Arunachal Pradesh are guests of the state and should be treated with respect. He appealed to the youth to uphold the spirit of “Atithi Devo Bhava” and assured that justice would be pursued in the case.

Dhar said the incident should not be allowed to damage relations between artists and audiences in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

For him, the immediate priority remains establishing who planned and carried out the assault.

“We know who is behind it, but we don’t want to name him,” Dhar reiterated. “Let the police find out.”

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