Seven Mising youths from Assam rescued from hydropower project site in Arunachal; allegations of abuse surface

Seven Mising youths from Assam were rescued from a hydropower project site in Arunachal Pradesh's Roing following allegations that they had been subjected to physical and mental abuse while working under harsh conditions.

According to a statement issued by the Shadia District Committee of the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), the youths from the Amarpur area had been lured with promises of employment by alleged middlemen and engaged in culvert construction work under an Arunachal-based contractor at the Lower Dibang Hydroelectric Project site.

The organisation alleged that the workers were kept in inhuman conditions and forced to work for nearly three months. Acting on complaints from family members and the victims, a rescue operation was carried out on June 8 by members of the TMPK and Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK) Shadia district committees, assisted by TMMK Central Committee Assistant General Secretary Poonam Tayeng Morang.

Members of the rescue team claimed that they found visible signs of physical assault on the youths, including injuries allegedly caused by beatings with iron rods. They further alleged that the workers were often kept hungry and made to work under extreme weather conditions, including intense heat and rain.

Describing the incident as deeply disturbing, the TMPK Shadia District Committee urged parents and young job seekers not to travel outside the state for employment without proper verification or through unverified agents and brokers. The organisation stated that it had encountered similar cases on several occasions in the past.

The incident has sparked demands for a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible for the alleged exploitation and abuse of the workers. Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the matter.