Guwahati: The Centre has deployed around 250 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Rapid Action Force (RAF) in Arunachal Pradesh following violence in Pasighat during protests against the proposed 11,200-MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), officials said on Sunday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs directed the deployment of two RAF companies on Saturday, with the personnel being airlifted from Navi Mumbai aboard an Indian Air Force transport aircraft. They were expected to reach Pasighat and be deployed by Sunday, officials said.

The RAF is a specialised CRPF unit trained to handle riots and other public-order situations. Several CRPF units are already operating in the affected areas, while two to three CRPF battalions are permanently deployed in the state.

Officials said CRPF personnel had been working to contain the unrest since Friday and prevent further escalation. Personnel from the CRPF, police and other central forces sustained injuries during the violence, they added.

The deployment follows a night of unrest in Pasighat on Friday, when a mob allegedly set fire to an office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and a police station, besides vandalising the residences of three political leaders, including the state BJP president, in East Siang district.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, a 12-hour bandh called in Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts to oppose the proposed power project remained largely peaceful on Friday. However, violence erupted in Pasighat after the bandh ended and continued until around 3.30 am on Saturday.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu described the violence as regrettable and appealed to all sections of society to maintain peace. He said peaceful protest was an essential part of democracy but stressed that demonstrations must remain within the law and should not result in property damage or disruption of public order.

The additional RAF deployment comes amid heightened security measures as authorities work to restore normalcy in the violence-hit areas.