A day-long shutdown against a giant dam plan in Arunachal Pradesh ended in fire on Friday night. Hours after the bandh was called off, a mob set an NHPC office and a police station ablaze in Pasighat, and the homes of two senior politicians were attacked.
The violence broke out around 11 pm on Friday, October 23, in East Siang district, after a 12-hour bandh against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). Police said several personnel were hurt in stone-pelting. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has condemned the violence and invited community groups for talks, while the district administration has restricted gatherings in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin.
Quick Facts
- What: Protest against the Siang dam project turned violent; NHPC office and a police station torched
- Where: Pasighat (East Siang), with clashes also in Siang district and near Mebo
- When: Around 11 pm on Friday, October 23, 2026, after a 12-hour bandh
- Who: Bandh called by Adi Bane Kebang United, SUMP Affected Area Youth Association, Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum Youth Wing and Adi Galo Welfare Society
- Key number: 11,200 MW, the proposed capacity of the project on the Siang river
What Happened in Pasighat and Siang
Four groups opposed to the project had called a 12-hour bandh across Siang, Upper Siang and parts of East Siang districts. During the day, clashes broke out in Siang district. Police said a crowd of 150 to 200 people, allegedly carrying machetes, lathis and slingshots, tried to damage police vehicles and push through barricades before throwing stones. Security forces fired tear gas shells to break up the crowd.
According to India Today, as cited by other outlets, at least four women were injured in the clash at Dite-Dime near Geku.
The worst came later. Around 11 pm, a mob set fire to the NHPC office and a police station in the high region area of Pasighat. Police vehicles were damaged too. Pasighat Deputy Superintendent of Police Tony Tatak, who was himself injured, told PTI that several policemen were hurt by stones and that the protesters had come from the Mebo area. Authorities were still assessing the damage.
The mob also vandalised the homes of state BJP president Kaling Moyong and Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering. The office of the Adi Bane Kebang, the apex body of the Adi community, was ransacked as well. Separately, police said stones were thrown at them near Ranaghat Bridge in Mebo.
What the Protesters Want
The groups behind the bandh have listed four main demands:
- Release of 10 arrested activists
- Reinstatement of suspended gaon buras (village headmen)
- Withdrawal of all pre-feasibility work on the project, including surveys
- Removal of paramilitary and central forces deployed in the area
Many local Adi groups fear the dam would mean losing ancestral land and farms, displacing villages and hurting traditions tied to the river. They have also raised concerns about earthquake risk in the eastern Himalayas and say they were not properly consulted. Reports say opposition grew sharper in September and October after police and central forces were sent in to support survey work.
Government Response: Talks Offered, Gatherings Restricted
Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the violence and invited community organisations and other stakeholders for talks, according to the Free Press Journal. He said the project is still at the pre-feasibility report stage and that the government is ready to discuss both its benefits and its possible harm. He urged residents to bring their doubts directly to the government.
The state has also said that the work currently going on is limited to technical and environmental surveys needed to prepare the pre-feasibility report, which will judge whether the project is viable at all.
To stop further trouble, the East Siang district administration has restricted public gatherings and processions in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin. The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee condemned the violence and demanded an independent inquiry into the use of tear gas shells.
Why the Siang Dam Project Matters
The Siang is the name the Brahmaputra carries when it enters India from Tibet, where it is called the Yarlung Tsangpo. The proposed SUMP, to be built by state-run NHPC, would be one of the largest hydropower projects in the country at about 11,200 MW.
Supporters see it as a big source of clean power. Governments have also pitched it as a strategic answer to China’s dam-building upstream on the same river, since a large reservoir on the Indian side could help manage water flows. Critics on the ground say those national goals should not come at the cost of local land, homes and consent.
The dispute is not new. Residents in Upper Siang and Siang districts have held sit-ins and protests against NHPC survey work since at least 2024, while pro-dam rallies have also been held elsewhere in the state. Friday’s events are the most serious turn so far.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- How many people were injured in total, and how seriously
- Whether anyone has been arrested for the arson and vandalism
- The full extent of damage to the NHPC office and police station
- Whether the protesting groups will accept the Chief Minister’s offer of talks
What This Means for You
If you live in or plan to travel to Pasighat, Mebo or Ruksin in the coming days, expect restrictions on gatherings and a heavy security presence. Follow updates from the East Siang district administration and local police, avoid crowds, and keep travel flexible. Tourists heading to the Siang valley should check with their hotel or tour operator before setting out.
The Bigger Picture
The state says the project is only at the study stage and has offered talks. The protesting groups want survey work and security forces pulled back first. How quickly the two sides sit down, and on what terms, will decide whether calm returns to the Siang belt. More details are expected from the district police and state government as the damage is assessed.
FAQs
What is the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project?
It is a proposed hydropower and water-storage project of about 11,200 MW on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh, planned by NHPC. It is currently at the pre-feasibility study stage.
Why are people in Arunachal protesting against the Siang dam?
Local Adi groups fear displacement, loss of ancestral land and farms, damage to river-linked culture and seismic risk. They also object to the deployment of central forces for survey work.
What was set on fire in Pasighat?
Police said an NHPC office and a police station in Pasighat’s high region area were torched on Friday night, and police vehicles were damaged.
What has the Arunachal government said?
Chief Minister Pema Khandu condemned the violence, offered talks with community groups and said the project is still only at the pre-feasibility report stage.
Are there restrictions in East Siang?
Yes. The East Siang district administration has restricted public gatherings and processions in Pasighat, Mebo and Ruksin.
For official information, see the NHPC website and the Arunachal Pradesh government portal.
Based on reporting by PTI (via The Tribune), The Free Press Journal and India Today.
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