Mobs torch government buildings in Arunachal Pradesh

Violence erupted in Vijayanagar area in Changlang district Friday amid protests against Panchayati Raj provisions being extended to non-Arunachal people in the region. Around 400 people attacked government offices and set them on fire.

Tezpur (Assam):Tension gripped remote Vijaynagar in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday after an irate mob torched and ransacked several government buildings and damaged a helipad.

A statement issued by the district administration said that the mob demanded cancellation of voting right for panchayat election to some of the Assam Rifles (AR) personnel, who had settled in Vijaynagar. The mob also demanded immediate relocation of the AR personnel who had settled there.

The mob numbering to about 400 arrived with lethal weapons including machete, bow and arrow and set on fire to the office of the Extra Additional Commissioner, the post office, the State Bank of India branch office. The mob had also attacked the Vijaynagar police station and damaged the helipad in the town.

It is pertinent to be mentioned here that Vijaynagar is a remote circle of Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh. There is no motorable road to the town so far and it can be reached only by air through the Vijaynagar advanced landing ground.

Vijaynagar borders Myanmar and is located 157 km away from the nearest motorable road at Miao.

"It is intimated today at around 8:30 hrs a mob of around 400 people consisting of youth and public led by Yobin students union in numbers came from Gandhigram with dao, lathi, bow and arrow chanting "Hamarii Mange Puri Karo" and set infrastructures on fire," the statement issued by the administration said.

However, there is no report of any loss of human lives so far.

A total of 30 police personnel had been stationed there at present but additional forces are being rushed to Vijaynagar for maintaining law and order, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh DIGP, Kime Kaming accompanied by other senior police officials were rushed to Vijayanagar by chopper.