A mob of roughly 150–200 protesters set fire to the NHPC office and a police station in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, on Saturday night, injuring several officers and civilians.
The arson erupted hours after a 12‑hour bandh organized by the Adi Bane Kebang United, SUMP Youth Wing and other indigenous groups, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Tony Tatak. The bandh, aimed at halting work on the 11,200‑MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, ended in the early hours, and the mob, allegedly armed with machetes, lathis and slingshots, proceeded to vandalise police vehicles and breach barricades before throwing stones at security personnel.
Tatak added that the protestors had also torched the residence of state BJP chief Kaling Moyong, the house of former MLA Ninong Ering, and looted a former MLA’s home. The Adi Bane Kebang’s office was ransacked, and several women were injured by tear‑gas shells fired to disperse the crowd. The deputy superintendent himself was wounded during the confrontation.
Arunachal’s Congress Committee condemned the violence and demanded a transparent inquiry into the use of tear gas, while the state government urged citizens to rely on official notifications and warned against fake news. The government also called for the release of ten arrested activists and the reinstatement of suspended village headmen.
In response, the state government announced that it will convene an independent panel to investigate the tear‑gas incident within 30 days and will reassess the pre‑feasibility studies of the hydropower project. It also said it would review the deployment of paramilitary forces in the region and consider the demands of local communities before proceeding further.