Centre dispatches 250 RAF personnel to Arunachal Pradesh as Siang hydropower project protest turns violent

The Indian government has dispatched 250 members of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) from the Central Reserved Police Force (CRPF) to Arunachal Pradesh in response to violent protests against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed the deployment of the RAF companies, which will be airlifted from Navi Mumbai on an Indian Air Force transport aircraft.

The units are expected to reach Pasighat, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh's Siang district, and be deployed by Sunday, according to officials.

The Siang project has been a source of controversy in Arunachal Pradesh, with locals opposing the construction of the dam due to fears of displacement, ecological destruction, and the loss of ancestral land. The violence erupted in Pasighat on Saturday, following a 12-hour bandh organized by protesters over the power project. During the bandh, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) office and a police station were torched, and houses of three political leaders, including the state BJP chief, were attacked in East Siang district.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu acknowledged the importance of peaceful protests but condemned the destruction of property and disruption of public order. He urged all sections of society to maintain peace and emphasized that the government was only exploring the feasibility of the project, not making any decisions to construct the dam.