Siang project violence: Arunachal police seeks search warrants for activist, advocate, journalist

Arunachal Pradesh Police has sought judicial permission to search the residences of four people, including an advocate and a journalist, in connection with the violence during protests against the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) on October 23, officials said.

In an application dated October 27, investigating officer Sub-Inspector Kodak Dagium of East Siang police sought search warrants from the Chief Judicial Magistrate of East Siang district for the residences of activists Otul Jerang (30) and Tajong Talom (30), advocate Sunny Tayeng and journalist Tongam Rina.

The application sought permission to seize clothing allegedly worn during the violence, mobile phones, digital devices containing photographs or video recordings, and other materials considered relevant to the investigation.

According to the application, recovering these items was necessary to establish the alleged roles of the individuals, reconstruct the sequence of events, corroborate witness statements and preserve evidence that could otherwise be concealed, altered or destroyed.

The police sought warrants under Section 96 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, or other applicable provisions. It said the searches would be conducted by authorised personnel in accordance with the law, with proper documentation and seizure lists.

The court's decision on the application was not immediately available.

The request comes after violence erupted in Pasighat on October 23 and 24, when protests against the proposed mega hydropower project escalated into clashes, arson and vandalism.

According to police, protesters allegedly attacked security personnel, damaged police vehicles and set fire to a police station and an office of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). The residences of state BJP president and former MLA Kaling Moyong and Pasighat West MLA Ninong Ering, as well as the central office of Adi Baane Kebang, were also vandalised.

Police subsequently registered eight cases and arrested 26 people, including five juveniles. Six others were detained for questioning, according to a police statement.

The violence followed widespread opposition to the proposed 11,200-MW SUMP, with indigenous organisations and residents expressing concerns over its potential impact on ancestral land, livelihoods and the environment.

Protesters have also demanded a halt to preliminary survey activities, the release of detained activists and the withdrawal of security personnel from affected areas.

The state government has maintained that the project is being examined for its potential benefits, including water security, flood moderation and hydropower generation, and has appealed to stakeholders to resolve their differences through dialogue.

The proposed searches form part of the ongoing investigation into the October 23 violence.