Dibrugarh: Arunachal Pradesh Police has intensified security measures in the Siang region, airlifting two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) from Navi Mumbai to Pasighat amid protests against the mega Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).
Speaking to reporters, Inspector General of Police Hibu Tamang said one company from the 102nd RAF Battalion based in Navi Mumbai had arrived in Pasighat, while the second company was expected to reach shortly. Three other RAF companies have already been deployed in Siang and Upper Siang districts, he said.
Tamang added that Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) companies from Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Nagaon and Nalbari in Assam had also been moved to the Siang region.
A total of 34 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed in the region, according to the IGP. Women RAF personnel have also been mobilised to deal with incidents of lawlessness, he said.
Meanwhile, a 12-hour bandh called by the All Tagin Students Union (ATSU), in coordination with the DSU, SINALITASU, Taliha Students Union, Duporijo Students Union and groups representing people affected by the proposed Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project project or the Menga Dam project on the Subansiri river, which has been underway across Upper Subansiri district since 5 am has reported incidents of violence.
According to sources, a vehicle was set on fire, a police vehicle was damaged and overturned, and equipment, computer peripherals and surveying instruments at an NHPC-related office were reportedly damaged or burnt. The extent of the damage and the circumstances surrounding the incidents have not been independently established so far.
The shutdown has been called over concerns surrounding the NHPC-linked dam project and its potential implications for the rights, interests and future of affected indigenous communities.
The situation remained tense with significant participation from bandh supporters.