Arunachal Pradesh: Protesters Set Police Station, NHPC Office Ablaze Over Siang Project
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Guwahati: Violence erupted in Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district on 23rd October , as protesters opposing the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) set fire to the town’s police station, a National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office and seven police vehicles.
Several security personnel sustained serious injuries in stone-pelting incidents, while a journalist was also reportedly injured during the unrest. Police and security forces resorted to tear gas to disperse the crowd and bring the situation under control.
The violence broke out hours after a shutdown across Siang, East Siang and Upper Siang districts formally ended at 5 pm. Although Pasighat had largely remained unaffected during the day, tensions escalated later when a group of protesters entered the town.
At the Ranaghat tri-junction, protestors allegedly set fire to several vehicles belonging to the police and other security forces. When security personnel attempted to control the crowd, protesters reportedly pelted them with stones, leaving several personnel injured.
The protestors are demanding the release of detained activists, the withdrawal of security forces from the Siang region and an immediate halt to the pre-feasibility report survey work for the proposed 11,000-megawatt hydropower project on the Siang river.
The project, being developed by NHPC, has faced opposition from several groups concerned about its potential impact on the region. The situation remained tense after the incidents.