Arunachal: Protesters Set Govt Buildings On Fire, Situation Tense

Protesters on Friday set several government offices on fire including the extra assistant commissioner's (EAC) office in Vijayanagar in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

"A large number of youths and public led by the Yobin Students' Union reached Vijaynagar from Gandhigram at around 8.30 am on Friday and burnt down the offices of the EAC, special branch (SB) and the post office," the police said.

"The miscreants, who were carrying machetes, sticks, bows and arrows, also ransacked the Vijaynagar police station and partially damaged the civil helipad," said Arunachal Pradesh Police public relations officer (PRO), Hemant Tiwari.

Tiwari added that situation is now under control and additional force is being rushed to Vijaynagar for maintaining law and order.

As per reports, the protesters are demanding the cancelation of electoral rights given to non-indigenous people (mostly ex-Assam Rifles settlers) of Vijoynagar in the Panchayat election and their removal from the area. The State Election Commission (SEC) has already deferred the election to the Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad constituencies of the area citing law and order issues.

The panchayat and municipal body elections are scheduled to be held simultaneously in the state on December 22.