Arunachal Pradesh Bandh: Three Districts Shut Down Over Detention of 10 Protesters

A 12-hour shutdown took place in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh on 23 October 2026 when organisations called for the release of 10 people detained for protesting the proposed big dam project. The shutdown affected Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts and disrupted transport, commercial activities and daily life.

The shutdown was called by the Adi Bane Kebang United (ABKU), along with other organisations, amid growing tensions over the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) and the detention of people associated with the anti-dam movement.

Shutdown Disrupts Daily Life Across Three Districts

The shutdown was from 5 am to 5 pm today on Friday, with the government said. Travel services and commercial businesses were affected with some passengers stranded and people travelling for medical treatment and other necessary needs unable to fly out.

The disruption was particularly difficult to people travelling from outside Arunachal Pradesh. Some passengers were reported to have appealed to the authorities and shutdown organisers to allow for exemptions for medical emergencies and students appearing for examinations.

We found that national shutdowns can affect the lives of ordinary people as well, of course, people who use public transport to get to hospitals, workplaces and schools.

Organisations demand release of 10 Protesters

ABKU and other organisations called the shutdown to press for the release of 10 people detained in connection with protests against the proposed dam project.

The groups have expressed concern about the detention of people opposing the project and the authorities must respond to their concerns. They also have concerns about the continued activities on the pre-feasibility studies of the project.

The issue is one of the major sticking points between local groups opposing the project and the state administration, which has maintained that law and order must be kept intact during the project’s assessment process.

The legal status of individual detainees varies across reports, but some people are arrested and some are held under preventive detention provisions.

Why are residents against the Siang River Dam?

The proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is a major hydropower project on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh. It is estimated to have 11,000 megawatts capacity, although these figures are not the same in different sources.

There are fears from the anti-dam movement about displacement, environmental damage, impacts on agriculture and loss of land and cultural heritage.

The Siang River is central to the lives and identity of the indigenous Adi community. The dam’s opponents fear a dam would flood the valley and damage villages, livelihoods and local ecosystems.

The project is also discussed in the context of China's proposed hydropower development upstream. But local opponents say that if there is a project, it should be considered before any further progress is made.

#WATCH | Arunachal Pradesh: A 12-hour shutdown observed across three districts of the state over the demand for the release of 10 protesters detained for opposing the construction of a large dam on the Siang River. The shutdown was called in Siang, Upper Siang and East Siang districts, by various organisations under the aegis of ABKU (Adi Bane Kebang United).

— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2026

Government says Project studies are not final approval

The state administration has maintained that the pre-feasibility report process is intended to assess whether the proposed project is technically viable. It has said further environmental and social impact studies will be needed at other stages if the project proceeds.

The administration also pointed to violence, arson and public safety in recent protests and has said that opposition to the dam and law and order are separate problems.

Protest groups, on the other hand, continue to push to see the release of detainees and the suspension of project-related work on project-related studies.

Siang Dam Dispute Continues

The 12-hour shutdown underlines the continuing conflict over the proposed Siang project and the handling of anti-dam protests. There are immediate calls by the organisations for the release of the detained protesters, but also more generally for the project’s environmental, social and cultural impact.

The state administration, local communities and project authorities will need to consider more dialogues with the project authorities and local authorities to resolve the multiple issues and reduce the tension in the affected districts.