Office Vandalised, Vehicles Set On Fire In Arunachal Anti-Dam Protest

Violent protests against the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Dam turned Pasighat in Arunachal's East Siang district into a scene of unrest on Friday night. Massive security reinforcement has been sent to the area, police sources said.

Protests continued till 4 am during which houses and residential complexes of MLAs Ninong Ering and Oni Panyang, and BJP state president Kaling Moyong were attacked and vandalised, sources said.

There were reports of arson in several parts of Pasighat. Sources said the protesters set fire to the NHPC's local office, apart from reports about an attack on parts of Pasighat police station. Seven vehicles were set on fire, sources said.

The violence erupted following allegations that security personnel fired tear gas shells at bandh supporters in Geku in Upper Siang, injuring four women, on Friday.

A section of protesters have also been part of the protests and have been demanding the release of 10 people detained during protests against the mega dam project. The situation escalated after protesters resorted to stone-pelting and arson. Security forces had to resort to use of force.

On Friday, a 12-hour bandh across the Siang and Upper Siang districts and parts of East Siang, protesting against the government's Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) plan, is underway. Several anti-dam organizations led by the Adi Bane Kebang-United, the SUMP-Affected Youth Association, the Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum, and the Adi Galo Welfare Society have called for the shutdown.

The strike was driven by demands for scrapping the project and withdrawing armed forces from the region.

The Arunachal Pradesh police at Boleng fired tear gas to disperse anti-dam protesters near Ditte Dime, along the route towards Geku, on Friday. SP Siang Kamdam Sikom said protesters pelted stones at the police, following which tear gas was fired to control the situation. He said a bandh is being observed in Boleng, while the overall situation across the Siang district remains peaceful.

NHPC has been entrusted with the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Project, which has faced strong local opposition. The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) is a massive planned hydroelectric and water-storage dam project located on the Siang River in the Upper Siang and Siang districts, and is seen as India's answer to China's mega dam on Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. Tsanpo becomes Siang when it enters Arunachal from China and downstream becomes Bramhaputra.

It is being  planned by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the government of Arunachal Pradesh. With a capacity of Around 10,000 MW to 11,000 MW, it will be  India's largest proposed hydropower venture. Expected construction will start around 2028 and be completed around 2032.