Photo Courtesy: nenow
Itanagar: Violence flared in the Bordumsa area of Changlang district on Friday, leaving one All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) member injured. Khoda Lazer, an AAPSU activist, suffered head injuries during a confrontation. Medics treated him at a nearby hospital. Security forces flooded the area to stop further outbreaks of fighting.
This skirmish followed a chaotic hearing at the Panchayat Hall on September 3. Officials were vetting Form-6 and Form-7 applications for the 49/33-Bijoypur polling station. A disturbance involving objectors and their supporters cut the session short. The Electoral Registration Officer adjourned the meeting after finishing 222 of 252 Form-6 applications and 150 of 303 Form-7 filings. The remaining cases were moved to the ADC Conference Hall for a September 4 session.
AAPSU president Meje Taku issued a blunt warning to anyone threatening union members on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) duty. Taku said the union would not remain a silent spectator if any of its members faced intimidation while carrying out their responsibilities during the electoral-roll revision. The union is targeting what it calls bogus, illegal, and ineligible names currently in the rolls. They specifically pointed to entries involving the Chakma-Hajong and other refugee communities.
The union demands a rigorous, door-to-door verification process before officials finalize the rolls. They intend to hold government staff and elected representatives accountable if they help ineligible people sign up. Drishyamuni Chakma, president of the All India Chakma Students’ Union, urged all sides to keep the peace. His team plans to visit Diyun, Bordumsa, and Miao to assess the volatile situation as the administration struggles to manage the verification process safely.
Updated at 4th September 2026 at 5:49pm
The unrest hit a boiling point on September 4 when a protest outside the ADC office turned into a chaotic scene of stone-pelting and physical brawls. Witnesses reported that unidentified individuals targeted the office, causing damage to the ADC's vehicle. As the situation spiraled, security personnel were forced to use tear gas and fire in the air to disperse the crowds. One AAPSU leader reportedly sustained injuries in a machete attack during the melee, though the exact circumstances and the identity of the assailant remain under investigation.
The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) has since escalated the matter to the National Human Rights Commission. The foundation claims the violence effectively barred Chakma electors from attending the verification hearings. In their filing, the group demanded the enforcement of a 1996 Supreme Court order requiring the state to protect the lives and liberty of the Chakma community. CDFI founder Suhas Chakma blasted local authorities for the security breakdown, calling the repeat of violence over two days an absolute failure of state management.
Updated at 4th September 2026 at 10:00pm
The conflict intensified Friday when protests against the inclusion of post-2006 Chakma arrivals ignited chaos outside the ADC office. Demonstrators, including the Bordumsa Students Union, clashed with opposition groups. As tensions peaked, an unidentified assailant hurled stones, damaging the ADC's vehicle and leaving a student leader wounded. Police moved in to clear the streets, firing shots into the air and deploying tear gas to regain control.
Amid the unrest, an AAPSU leader suffered a machete wound during the brawl. Authorities are still probing who opened fire during the skirmish. Following the violence, AAPSU president Meje Taku, alongside general secretary Mato Bui and convenor Tadar Baro, signaled that the fight is far from over. Taku demanded the Home Department steer clear of filing FIRs against union leadership and confirmed the organization will outline its next moves on September 12.
The Chakma Development Foundation of India has taken the battle to the National Human Rights Commission. They are demanding the immediate enforcement of a 1996 Supreme Court ruling that mandates the state to shield the Chakma community from forced eviction or organized aggression. The foundation is calling on the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Commission to intervene, citing a total breakdown of security during the verification process.
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