Violence erupted in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, on Friday night, 23 October, after protests against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) escalated. Protesters allegedly set fire to a National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office and a police station, damaged police vehicles and vandalised the residences of state BJP president Kaling Moyong and political leaders.
The unrest followed a 12-hour bandh called by indigenous organisations demanding the release of detained activists and the suspension of project-related surveys. The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) condemned the violence and demanded an independent inquiry into the use of tear gas against protesters. Chief Minister Pema Khandu appealed for peace and urged people to pursue their concerns within the law.
Arson and Vandalism Follow 12-Hour Bandh
According to Pasighat Deputy Superintendent of Police Tony Tatak, the incidents occurred around 11 pm on Friday, hours after the bandh across Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts had ended. The NHPC office in Pasighat’s High Region area and a police station were set ablaze, while the residences of BJP state president Kaling Moyong and Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering were vandalised. The office of Adi Bane Kebang, the apex body of the Adi community, was also reportedly ransacked. Police personnel were injured during clashes in which protesters allegedly hurled stones at security forces. Authorities began assessing the damage following the incidents.
The unrest followed clashes at Dite-Dime near Geku in Siang district, where security personnel fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters. Reports said several women were injured during the confrontation. Police officials said demonstrators had allegedly thrown stones at security personnel and attempted to breach barricades. The police response, however, became a major point of contention, with protesters and opposition leaders questioning the use of force. The incidents highlighted the growing tensions between sections of indigenous communities opposing the project and authorities overseeing the proposed development.
APCC Demands Independent Inquiry Into Tear Gas Use
The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly criticised the handling of the protests, demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the use of tear gas. APCC general secretary and spokesperson Kon Jirjo Jotham said the incident raised serious questions about the state government’s response to public dissent. APCC president Bosiram Siram also accused the government of escalating tensions through the deployment of security forces and alleged that villagers opposing the project were being pressured to support the survey.
These are allegations made by the opposition and have not been independently established. The Congress called for medical assistance to injured protesters, accountability if excessive force is established, and a review of security deployment. It also urged the government to address concerns over ancestral land, livelihoods and cultural identity through meaningful consultation rather than treating the dispute solely as a law-and-order problem.
Government Appeals for Peace as Restrictions Are Imposed
Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the arson and vandalism, emphasising that peaceful protest is a democratic right but must not result in damage to property or disruption of public order. He invited organisations opposing SUMP to discuss its possible benefits, environmental and social consequences, and local concerns. Khandu also offered to meet representatives in Itanagar, Pasighat or any location convenient to them, and said he was willing to visit a place selected by stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the East Siang district administration imposed restrictions on public gatherings, processions and the carrying of weapons in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin from 5 pm on Saturday, 24 October, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Inspector General of Police Hibu Tamang said those responsible for the violence would face action under the law and appealed to community leaders and young people to maintain peace.
Why the Siang Hydropower Project Faces Opposition
The proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project has become a contentious issue in Arunachal Pradesh, with indigenous organisations raising concerns about its potential impact on the Siang river basin, ancestral land, local livelihoods and the region’s ecological balance. The state government has defended the project as a strategic initiative to regulate water flows, strengthen national water and energy security, and manage seasonal flooding, particularly in the context of China’s proposed hydropower development upstream.
Officials have clarified that the ongoing pre-feasibility report activities involve preliminary technical, geological and environmental assessments to examine the project’s viability, rather than approval for construction. Protesters, however, fear that these surveys could pave the way for a development that threatens their environment and cultural identity. Organisations behind the bandh, including Adi Bane Kebang United, the SUMP Affected Area Youth Association, the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing and the Adi Galo Welfare Society, have demanded the release of 10 detained activists, reinstatement of suspended village headmen, suspension of survey activities and withdrawal of additional security forces from affected areas.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Development cannot be sustainable if the communities most directly affected feel excluded from decisions about their land, livelihoods and future. At the same time, arson, vandalism and attacks on homes or public infrastructure undermine peaceful democratic expression and put lives at risk. The violence in Arunachal Pradesh underlines the urgent need for a transparent process that allows affected communities to raise their concerns without fear, while ensuring that those responsible for unlawful acts are held accountable through due process.
The government must communicate the project’s potential benefits and risks openly, commission a fair inquiry into the use of tear gas, and create space for genuine dialogue with indigenous representatives, environmental experts and local residents. Meaningful consent, public trust and respect for indigenous rights must remain central to decisions involving large infrastructure projects. How can governments and local communities work together to balance development, environmental protection and the rights of indigenous people without resorting to violence?
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