Pasighat violence: Adi youth, student bodies seek release of minors

Two influential Adi community organisations have asked the Arunachal Pradesh government to release the underage students and juveniles arrested after the October 23 violence in Pasighat, while also demanding a thorough probe to identify the people who allegedly instigated it.

A joint delegation of the Adi Bane Kebang Youth Wing (ABKYW) and the Adi Students' Union (AdiSU), led by ABKYW president Oki Dai and AdiSU president Tani Tapo, submitted a representation to the state home minister on Friday, The Arunachal Times reported from Pasighat.

What the groups are asking for

The organisations urged the government to treat the cases of all arrested minors with compassion and to keep their age, vulnerability and future prospects in mind. Their main demands are:

• appropriate legal assistance for the minors, and their unconditional release wherever the law allows;
• strict compliance with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and other safeguards on how children in conflict with the law are apprehended, questioned and held in custody;
• an impartial, evidence-based investigation to identify the "principal instigators" and organisers who may have misled or mobilised students and youths;
• legal action against anyone found responsible for instigating or facilitating unlawful acts, based on credible evidence.

The delegation stressed that its appeal was not meant to shield anyone from accountability. Rather, it said, young students should not face disproportionate consequences for actions they may have taken under the influence of others.

Background: the October 23 bandh

The violence broke out in Pasighat, the headquarters of East Siang district, during a bandh on October 23 linked to protests against the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP). Arson and vandalism were reported during the shutdown.

East Siang police later said 26 people had been arrested, including five juveniles, and eight cases registered, according to earlier reports. The Centre has since rushed additional Rapid Action Force personnel to the region, and police have sought search warrants against several people, including a senior journalist, a move criticised by press bodies.

Why it matters

ABKYW and AdiSU carry considerable weight among the Adi community, the largest group in the Siang belt where opposition to the mega dam is strongest. Their intervention adds to pressure on the state government, which says it is open to dialogue on the project, to show that the post-violence crackdown is fair and lawful, especially where children are involved. There was no immediate response from the home department to the representation.