Arunachal anti-dam protesters attack houses of MLAs and state BJP chief

GUWAHATI: Protests against the proposed Upper Siang Multipurpose Dam in Arunachal Pradesh took a violent turn, with protesters at Pasighat in East Siang district attacking residences of political leaders and setting fire to an NHPC office, a police station and police vehicles.

The violence that started Friday continued till Saturday early morning. Houses of MLAs Ninong Ering and Oni Panyang, and BJP state president Kaling Moyong were vandalised by the protestors, chief minister Pema Khandu said.

Earlier, four women were injured when security personnel fired tear gas shells at protesters demanding the release of 10 people detained during a 12-hour bandh called to oppose the dam project.


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A senior police officer said demonstrators resorted to stone-pelting and arson, targeting government and police establishments at Pasighat.

Addressing the media on Saturday, chief minister Khandu said the 12-hour bandh remained largely peaceful in Siang and Upper Siang districts and in Pasighat during the day. However, incidents were reported in Pasighat after the bandh period ended.

He said the incidents in Pasighat were regrettable and called upon all sections of society to maintain peace and ensure that such incidents were not repeated.

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On the concerns surrounding the dam project of public second company NHPC, Khandu said the state government was open to discussions with all organisations, associations and other stakeholders. "People should question the government, discuss the possible benefits and negative aspects of the project, and seek clarification on their concerns," he said.

The chief minister said public consensus would remain central to the process of taking the project forward.

Manipur Protests Continue

Meanwhile, protests continued at several places in Manipur, with demonstrators demanding justice for the killing of three Meitei men on October 19.

The film fraternity in Manipur also held a protest on Saturday. On Wednesday, a large group clashed with police outside a sports complex in Imphal while chief minister Y Khemchand Singh was attending an event inside.

Former chief minister N Biren Singh visited the victims' families and expressed condolences over the killings in a post on X, saying the people of Manipur deserved peace, security and freedom from fear.

"It is a matter of shame that innocent civilians continue to lose their lives to such brutal violence," he said in his post.