Itanagar: Protesters clashed with the police during a 12-hour bandh against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, prompting security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the agitators, officials said.
The bandh was called from 5 am in Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts against the proposed 11,200 MW power project.
At least four women were injured in a clash between police personnel and protesters at Dite-Dime near Geku in Siang district when around 150-200 agitators, carrying machetes, lathis and slingshots, tried to vandalise police vehicles and breach barricades and hurled stones at security personnel, they said.
Siang Superintendent of Police Kamdam Sikhom said, “Around 150 to 200 protesters from Geku and Komkar areas in Upper Siang district gathered at Dite-Dime in Siang around 7 am in support of the bandh. They attempted to vandalise police barricades, hurled stones and violated prohibitory orders.”
Lawful action was initiated against them in the presence of the executive magistrate, the SP said.
Protesters claimed that several of them were hit by tear gas shells and experienced breathing difficulties.
The SP maintained that the bandh was observed peacefully in other places in Siang district.
Meanwhile, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) demanded an independent inquiry into the use of tear gas against protesters during the bandh.
APCC spokesperson Kon Jirjo Jotham said the incident at Dite-Dime raised concerns about the handling of public dissent and alleged that the government failed to fulfil assurances on the release of detained youths and the withdrawal of security forces.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, during a meeting with Adi Baane Kebang Youth Wing (ABKYW) and the Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) on October 13, promised to release the detained youths, withdraw FIRs and scale down the security deployment.
