10 companies of ITBP dispatched to violence-hit Arunachal

As many as 1,000 paramilitary troops have been dispatched to Arunachal Pradesh as widespread violence erupted in the state over the recommendation to grant permanent resident certificates (PRC) to six communities, officials said Sunday.

At least two persons have died as protests broke out on Saturday after the state government announced that it was considering issuing PRC to six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribes (APSTs) living in the Namsai and Changlang districts. The communities are Deoris, Sonowal Kacharis, Morans, Adivasis, Mishings and Gorkhas. Most of them are recognised as Scheduled Tribes in neighbouring Assam.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has dispatched 10 additional companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) for deployment in law-and-order duties in Itanagar and other violence-hit places, an official said.

The state government will deploy the troops as per the requirement of the local administration. Five ITBP companies have already been deployed in the state, ..