Opposition provoked Samson Tamang’s hate speech, claims CM Prem Singh Tamang

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, during an assembly session on February 21 said that the opposition was responsible for provoking Samson Tamang into making hate remarks against the Khas community. 

He said that the opposition had no genuine issues to raise and was unnecessarily creating controversy.

The statement came on the same day that Samson Tamang, who had been accused of making inflammatory comments against the Khas community, was brought back to Sikkim. He was arrested in Bodhgaya, Bihar, on February 19 after an extensive manhunt. Following his arrest, Tamang made claims suggesting that an opposition leader had influenced his actions, further complicating the investigation into the case.

Samson Tamang’s arrest was the result of a rigorous 13-day operation conducted by Sikkim Police in collaboration with Bihar Police. The search for Tamang involved a team led by SDPO Tashi Chopel Bhutia, along with Investigating Officer PI DP Limboo, PI Naresh Chhetri, SI Taman R. Gurung, and several other personnel. 

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The investigation was supported by advanced technical surveillance and intelligence inputs that allowed police to track Tamang’s movements across different regions.

The police pursued multiple leads and conducted searches in various locations, including Siliguri, North Bengal, the Nepal border, Delhi, Kurseong, and Darjeeling. High-alert operations were also carried out in Naxalbari, the Terai region, Pani Tanki, and Salugara. After days of intensive tracking, investigators successfully traced Tamang to Bodhgaya, Bihar, where he was finally apprehended with the assistance of Bihar Police.

Following his arrest, Tamang was transported back to Sikkim, where he remains in police custody and in one media interaction Samson Tamang alleged opposition leader Ganesh Rai through Kurseong MLA BP Bajgai told me to speak against the community. Authorities are now continuing their investigation to determine the full extent of the case, including verifying his allegations against the opposition leader.