Tensions Escalate After Back-to-Back Killings of Two Assamese Youths in Arunachal

Tensions continue to escalate along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border following the brutal killing of two Mising youths from Assam in separate incidents within Arunachal Pradesh. In response, multiple Mising organizations, including the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), Mising Mimag Kebang (MMK), and Takam Mising Mime Kebang (TMMK), have launched massive protests and imposed an indefinite blockade of all border routes between the two states.

In Gohpur’s Rajgarh area near the Assam-Arunachal border, the TMPK and MMK, supported by other regional student and community organizations, staged a road blockade at Holongi, demanding justice for the victims. Protesters decried the repeated targeting and killings of Assamese youths in Arunachal Pradesh and demanded swift punishment for the perpetrators.

The protests were triggered by the recent murder of Shankar Pegu (29), a resident of Biswanath district, who was shot dead on July 13 in Roing, Arunachal Pradesh. Pegu, who was working in Roing, was allegedly gunned down by a local individual identified as Tadar Bhai. Though Pegu was rushed to Itanagar for medical treatment, he succumbed to his injuries. Arunachal Pradesh Police have since arrested the accused and recovered the weapon used in the crime.

The killing of Pegu comes close on the heels of another shocking murder. On June 18, Probash Doley (22), a youth from Dekapam-Missamora village in Jonai, was allegedly murdered in a brutal manner by an Arunachalee individual named Tai Jon in the town of Chimpu, Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh.

Anger has been mounting in the Mising heartland. In Jonai’s Ruksin and Nari regions—key junctions linking Assam with Arunachal—TMPK, MMK, and TMMK launched an indefinite blockade of all Assam-Arunachal routes starting today. Protesters blocked Shantipur Gate near Sadiya and other major crossings, vowing not to lift the blockade until justice is ensured for both victims and safety of border residents is guaranteed.

The organizations have condemned the “repeated and systematic attacks” on Assamese youths working or residing in Arunachal Pradesh, calling it a failure of the inter-state law and order mechanism. They warned that if these targeted killings are not addressed seriously, tensions between communities along the border could spiral out of control.

Security forces have been deployed in sensitive zones including Bandardewa, Sadiya, and Gohpur to prevent any potential flare-ups. Assam Police and local administration are monitoring the situation closely while coordinating with their Arunachal Pradesh counterparts.

TMPK leaders have reiterated their demand for a high-level investigation, trial under fast-track courts, and inter-state coordination to prevent such crimes in the future. They have also urged both state governments to address long-standing border issues and ensure the protection of Assamese citizens working in Arunachal Pradesh.

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