1. A 12-hour shutdown paralysed the Arunachal Pradesh capital region after three youth groups enforced a bandh demanding action against alleged illegal migrants.
2. Markets, schools, offices and transport services were severely disrupted.
3. No major violence was reported, but the shutdown highlighted rising tensions over immigration and cultural identity in the state.
The capital region of Itanagar Capital Region in Arunachal Pradesh saw a near-total shutdown on Tuesday after three youth organisations enforced a 12-hour bandh, disrupting life across the region.
The shutdown — from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. — saw markets, banks, schools, offices and transport grind to a halt in Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and surrounding areas.
The bandh was called by Indigenous Youth Force of Arunachal (IYFA), Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) and All Naharlagun Youth Organisation (ANYO), who demanded demolition of alleged illegal mosques, deportation of people they identify as illegal immigrants, and a ban on weekly markets.
Authorities had declared the shutdown illegal, warning of legal action if people attempted to enforce it. Police and paramilitary forces maintained heavy security across the region, though no major incidents of violence were reported.
The shutdown reflects rising tensions over immigration and religious-structure grievances in Arunachal, with protest organizers calling for strong government action to safeguard what they describe as the state’s demographic and cultural identity.
