Bandh turns violent in Arunachal capital; police use tear gas to disperse protesters

A bandh called by the Scheduled Tribe Bachao Andolan Committee (STBAC) turned violent in the Itanagar Capital Region of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday, May 15, after protesters allegedly pelted stones at police personnel and blocked National Highway-415, prompting security forces to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, officials said.
 

The 36-hour shutdown, which began at 5 a.m. on Thursday, was called by the organisation demanding strict enforcement and complete digitisation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to curb illegal entry into the frontier state.
 

Officials said demonstrators marching from Naharlagun towards Itanagar turned aggressive and allegedly targeted police vehicles and the Itanagar police station with stones. No serious injuries were reported in the incident.
 

Later in the evening, after the scheduled bandh period had ended, protesters blocked National Highway-415, leading police to use tear gas shells to clear the road and restore normal traffic movement.
 

Amid escalating tension, the district administration later revoked preventive detention orders issued against detained protest leaders, and all members of the committee were subsequently released.
 

The bandh disrupted normal life across several parts of the capital region, with vehicular movement remaining thin and many markets and business establishments staying shut.
 

The STBAC has been demanding stricter implementation of the ILP system, action against illegal migrants, fake permits, and alleged irregularities in the existing permit mechanism. The group has also raised concerns over the protection of tribal land rights and constitutional safeguards for indigenous communities.
 

Meanwhile, the state government has announced a series of measures to strengthen the ILP system, including a fully digital e-ILP mechanism with QR-code verification, Aadhaar-based authentication, police verification for work permits, and stricter penalties for violations.
 

Earlier in the day, Mama Natung had said all detained members of the protest group would be released, in an effort to ease tensions and restore normalcy in the state capital.