12-hr bandh hits Arunachal Capital Complex; police detain 6 amid tensions
The bandh sought demolition of alleged illegal mosques & madrasas, deportation of Bangladesh immigrants & banning weekly markets
A still of deserted streets of Arunachal Capital Complex, on Tuesday. (Photo:IANS)
Itanagar, Dec 9: A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by three organisations brought normal life to a standstill across Arunachal Pradesh’s Capital Complex on Tuesday, with markets, banks, schools, government offices and private establishments shutting down and vehicles staying off the roads.
The 12-hour shutdown, called by the Indigenous Youth Force of Arunachal (IYFA), Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) and All Naharlagun Youth Organisation (ANYO), affected the entire Capital Complex comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, Nirjuli and Banderwa.
The groups pressed for the demolition of what they claim are illegally constructed mosques and madrasas, identification and deportation of alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and a ban on weekly markets in the state capital.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Chukhu Apa said adequate security arrangements had been made to prevent any untoward incidents. Police detained six people for allegedly enforcing the bandh.
Apa also warned of strict legal action against those circulating “objectionable” voice messages related to the shutdown.
“You are going to face serious consequences. We will take legal action against those circulating these objectionable voice messages,” he said.
On the Inner Line Permit (ILP) mechanism, the IGP said earlier loopholes had enabled some people to operate illegally in the state, but arrests had since been made.
The new ILP 3.0 system, he said, would “plug all loopholes” and strengthen monitoring, especially given Arunachal’s porous borders.
Spot verification and checks under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, will continue, he added.
Sharing enforcement data, Apa said police had detected 8,936 people entering the state without ILP or valid documents, of which 7,351 cases were formally recorded.
The bandh came a day after Capital District Magistrate Toko Babu declared the shutdown “illegal and unlawful,” citing concerns over public order and ongoing municipal and panchayat election processes.
In an order issued under Section 163 of the BNSS and the Arunachal Pradesh Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 2014, the DM said the bandh violated fundamental rights and warned that enforcement of the shutdown would invite penal action.
PTI