250 RAF personnel airlifted to Arunachal Pradesh following overnight violence

New Delhi: The Central Government has rushed two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to Arunachal Pradesh after protests against a major dam project turned violent, news agency PTI reported, citing officials.

Trouble started in Pasighat right after a 12-hour bandh called against the proposed 11,200-megawatt Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. What began as an agitation quickly spiralled into chaos overnight, running until 3:30 am on Saturday.

An angry crowd set fire to an office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and a local police station. They also vandalised the homes of three political leaders in East Siang district, including that of the state BJP president. Several police personnel and central forces members, including CRPF jawans, were injured in the clashes.

Reinforcements flown in to contain unrest

To bring the situation under control, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs directed the immediate airlift of around 250 RAF personnel from Navi Mumbai to Pasighat using an Indian Air Force transport plane. The specialised anti-riot unit was slated for ground deployment by Sunday.

Arunachal Pradesh already has two to three CRPF battalions stationed permanently. Officials noted that CRPF units present on the ground had been managing the crowds since Friday and helped keep the unrest from spreading even further.

CM Pema Khandu urges calm after attacks

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the 12-hour shutdown across Siang, Upper Siang, and East Siang districts had passed off without major incident during Friday daytime. The trouble broke out only after the bandh had formally concluded.

Reacting to the incidents, Chief Minister Pema Khandu termed the events in Pasighat regrettable and appealed to all communities to keep the peace. He maintained that while peaceful demonstration is a constitutional right, protests cannot cross the line into vandalism, destruction of public property, or lawlessness.