Siang Dam Protest Turns Violent: Govt Offices, Police Vehicles Set Ablaze In Arunachal Pradesh

Hundreds of protesters opposing the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) allegedly set fire to government offices and police vehicles in Pasighat on Friday evening, officials said on Saturday. The violence intensified the ongoing standoff over surveys linked to the proposed project, as Hindustan Times reported.

Officials said the Pasighat office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), several government offices, a police station and seven to eight police vehicles were set on fire or damaged. The houses of BJP state president Kaling Moyong and MLAs Oni Panyang and Ninong Ering were also damaged, while some property was reportedly taken away.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the violence and urged protesters to return to negotiations.

“I strongly condemn such violent protests and urge everyone who has concerns regarding the SUMP project to come and sit for talks instead of resorting to such means. Protesting is a democratic right, but should be done within limits and without causing harm or damage to anyone or properties,” Khandu said.

Bandh Turns Violent In Pasighat

East Siang Deputy Commissioner Jayanti Pertin said a 12-hour bandh, called by people opposing the project, was observed from 5 am to 5 pm on Friday. It remained peaceful in Pasighat until the evening, she said.

“After 5 pm some protesters calling themselves Gen Z insisted on continuing the bandh and blocked the highway. This caused inconvenience to people and halted traffic. The local magistrate and security forces tried to persuade them for two hours to disperse,” Pertin said.

She said a magistrate ordered the firing of tear gas shells after the protesters refused to disperse. There was no baton charge, she added. The protesters then allegedly pelted stones, injuring some police personnel and officials.

Pertin said the protesters subsequently targeted the NHPC office, the Pasighat police station and seven police vehicles, which were burnt. The houses of the BJP state president and the two MLAs were also damaged.

Eight protesters who sustained minor injuries received first aid at a local hospital, she said. The situation remained tense until around 4 am on Saturday but was under control by the time of her statement. No arrests had been made in connection with the violence till Saturday noon, Pertin added.

Earlier Clash Near Geku

The violence in Pasighat followed an earlier confrontation near Geku. Four women opposing the project were injured on Friday morning after police reportedly fired tear gas shells to disperse protesters at Dite-Dime, near the 65 Bridge.

A large number of people had gathered in support of the shutdown. Tensions escalated around 7 am when a group of protesters allegedly attempted to breach barricades and attack security personnel.

The bandh disrupted daily life across Siang and Upper Siang districts and parts of East Siang. Shops and business establishments remained closed, while many residents stayed indoors.

Protesters Demand Withdrawal Of Project Activities

The bandh was jointly called by Adi Bane Kebang United, SUMP Affected Area Youth Association, Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing and Adi Galo Welfare Society.

The groups have demanded the release of 10 arrested activists within 24 hours. Their other demands include reinstating suspended gaon buras, withdrawing all pre-feasibility report activities in dam-affected areas and removing paramilitary and Central forces deployed in the region.

Siang Project And Local Concerns

The proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is at the centre of the dispute. The Arunachal Pradesh government has described it as a strategic measure to address concerns over China’s hydropower development on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. Opponents, however, fear displacement, ecological damage and the loss of ancestral land.

The Yarlung Tsangpo enters Arunachal Pradesh as the Siang and joins other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam before flowing into Bangladesh. Officials have raised concerns about upstream water regulation, including changes in river flows, possible diversions and sudden water releases.

The state government has argued that the project could help moderate such changes through substantial downstream water storage. It has also maintained that the proposed Pre-Feasibility Report is an initial technical exercise to assess the dam’s feasibility and possible location, rather than approval for construction.

For the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum, which is leading the resistance, the survey marks the first step towards a project that could alter the region’s geography, ecology and indigenous way of life. Protesters are demanding an immediate halt to survey work, the withdrawal of security forces from affected areas and consultations with local communities.