Arunacahal: 67 Injured in Siang Clashes as SIFF Protests Multipurpose Project

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Siang Indigenous Farmers' Forum (SIFF), which has been opposing the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), on Tuesday claimed that 67 people from project-affected families sustained injuries during clashes with security forces on October 4.

The claim followed Siang police's statement that more than eight security personnel were injured in the clashes and five people, including two women, were arrested. The confrontation occurred at Uggeng in Siang district amid protests against the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) exercise for the proposed 11,000-MW multipurpose project on the Siang River.

SIFF general secretary Likeng Libang said 52 people were injured at Riga and 15 at Pangkang. Of the 67 injured, the forum claimed 31 sustained major injuries and 36 suffered minor injuries.

The forum also alleged that eight vehicles belonging to project-affected families were damaged during the clashes, with four each reported damaged at Riga and Pangkang.

SIFF further claimed that seven project-affected people from Riew and Begging villages were injured in another incident near the Siang bridge at Dite Dime. It said five of them were from Riew and two from Begging, with one sustaining major injuries and six suffering minor injuries.

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