Sivasagar: High drama and chaotic scenes unfolded at the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) office in Sivasagar today, November 7, 2026, as a statewide agitation by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) against spiralling power tariffs and smart meters turned violent.
Agitated student activists breached security cordons and smashed the glass entrance doors of the electricity department's office to force their way inside.
The intense scuffle between security forces and protesters left at least one police official injured as authorities struggled to bring the escalating situation under control.
The unrest follows Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement on Tuesday, November 3, to increase power tariffs by up to 5 paise per unit to offset surging global fuel prices driven by the West Asia crisis. Low-tension and domestic consumers are facing a direct hike of ₹0.05 per unit, while others see hikes up to ₹0.30 per unit.
AASU leaders heavily targeted the mandatory installation of prepaid smart meters, which they allege have become predatory tools for extracting inflated revenue from ordinary citizens. "The continuous, unjust burden of tariff hikes and smart billing has made life miserable for the common public," stated an AASU central executive member during the agitation. "We demand an immediate and absolute rollback of this price hike. The government cannot fleece the public under the pretext of global fuel adjustments."
Beyond Sivasagar, widespread demonstrations erupted across major parts of the state. Effigies of the Power Minister were set ablaze by the AASU Dibrugarh Unit while raising anti-government slogans, alongside massive rallies in Baksa, Lakhimpur, and Chandrapur.
While Chief Minister Sarma has given assurances that this temporary tariff increase will be rolled back after three months once fuel prices stabilize, AASU has warned of intensifying their agitation into a full-scale regional movement if the directive is not withdrawn immediately.