📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Bhavikji
Defence
Pasighat Clashes Erupt in Arunachal Pradesh Amid Siang Dam Protests and China Border Tensions
✍️ India Today
🗓 31 Oct 2026, 02:10 AM
👁 15
Violent clashes broke out in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, as local residents protested the proposed Siang Mega Dam and expressed concerns over escalating China border tensions.
Pasighat, the administrative headquarters of East Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh, witnessed a sudden outbreak of violence on Thursday when protestors opposing the Siang Mega Dam project confronted security forces. The demonstration, which began as a peaceful rally, turned hostile after police attempted to disperse the crowd, leading to stone‑throwing and the use of tear‑gas by law‑enforcement agencies.
The demonstrators, comprising local villagers and youth groups, voiced fears that the dam could disrupt the region's fragile ecosystem and displace communities. Their grievances were amplified by recent reports of increased Chinese military activity along the Line of Actual Control, which has heightened security concerns across the state.
According to district officials, several injuries were reported among both protestors and police personnel, though no fatalities have been confirmed. The administration has imposed a temporary curfew in Pasighat and surrounding areas to restore order and prevent further escalation.
State authorities have called for a dialogue with community leaders to address the dam's environmental impact while reaffirming India's resolve to safeguard its border against any external threat. The incident underscores the growing volatility in Arunachal Pradesh, where development projects intersect with longstanding geopolitical tensions.
The demonstrators, comprising local villagers and youth groups, voiced fears that the dam could disrupt the region's fragile ecosystem and displace communities. Their grievances were amplified by recent reports of increased Chinese military activity along the Line of Actual Control, which has heightened security concerns across the state.
According to district officials, several injuries were reported among both protestors and police personnel, though no fatalities have been confirmed. The administration has imposed a temporary curfew in Pasighat and surrounding areas to restore order and prevent further escalation.
State authorities have called for a dialogue with community leaders to address the dam's environmental impact while reaffirming India's resolve to safeguard its border against any external threat. The incident underscores the growing volatility in Arunachal Pradesh, where development projects intersect with longstanding geopolitical tensions.