Arunachal: Siang DC files police complaint against activist Ebo Mili over anti-dam protest

In a rising wave of tension surrounding the contentious Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), Siang Deputy Commissioner P.N. Thungon has lodged a formal police complaint against noted human rights and anti-dam activist Ebo Mili for allegedly violating Section 144 during a protest at Begging village.

The protest, held on May 23, saw the participation of over 400 individuals opposing the construction of the proposed 11,000 MW mega dam. The protest was spearheaded by Ebo Mili and members of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum, directly defying a public assembly ban order imposed just a day prior by the district administration.

According to official sources, charges have been filed under Sections 135, 191, and 324 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The state government had earlier deployed armed forces to assist technical teams in carrying out pre-construction studies at the dam site, further fueling unrest among the indigenous communities. Locals from both Siang and Upper Siang districts have expressed deep concerns, fearing irreversible damage to their ancestral land and river systems.

Activist Ebo Mili, who has previously been detained twice for similar acts of dissent, continues to be a prominent voice advocating for indigenous rights and environmental preservation.