National Award-Winning Filmmaker Dominic Sangma Allegedly Assaulted Near FTII Campus, Wife Says 'I Feel Angry And Shame'

National Award-winning filmmaker Dominic Sangma, who hails from Meghalaya, was allegedly assaulted by two young men near Rakap village in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday evening, September 16, when Sangma was returning from his evening walk at around 6:30 pm. His wife, Karry Padu, said she felt “angry and ashamed” over the incident and urged the police to ensure that those responsible are punished.

According to Karry, the alleged assault took place when Sangma was returning from his evening walk at the FTII (Film and Television Institute of India) Jote campus. Speaking to NewsFy, she said she witnessed two young men assaulting students. When Sangma intervened, he was allegedly attacked with fists and bamboo sticks.

Karry shared the news of Sagma being assaulted on social media saying, "My husband was attacked by some local boys around the Rakap village near FTII JOTE today by two young boys. He was attacked when he intervened these boys who were assaulting some students (sic)."

An FIR has been registered at Balijan Police Station under Sections 115(2), 117(2), 126 and 351 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the complaint, Sangma, an FTII security guard and four students were allegedly “assaulted and wrongfully restrained” during the incident. The two accused have been identified as Rakap village residents Techi Nanu and Techi Sanjay.

Who is Dominic Sangma?

Dominic Sangma is a two-time National Award-winning filmmaker from Meghalaya, known for his Garo-language films Ma.Ama and Rapture. His debut feature Ma.Ama won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Garo, while Rapture also earned him the same honour. Sangma’s films have been screened at several prestigious international film festivals, including the Locarno Film Festival. Sangma has also been part of film-selection committees for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), including its 2017 Preview Committee. Sangma heads the Department of Screenwriting at the institute’s Jote campus in Arunachal Pradesh.