Pasighat, March 24:
The ongoing dispute surrounding the Adi Students’ Union (AdiSU) elections took a serious turn on Tuesday as protests intensified outside the Adi Bane Kebang (ABK) office, leading to clashes between two groups and incidents of stone pelting.
The unrest follows a formal representation submitted earlier by AdiSU (Apex) to the ABK leadership, seeking immediate intervention to halt what it termed as an “unlawful and forceful” attempt by the ABK Youth Wing to conduct a parallel election at Pasighat.
According to sources, tensions escalated when opposing groups gathered near the ABK office premises, resulting in heated arguments that quickly turned violent. Stone pelting was reported from both sides, creating panic in the area and disrupting normal movement.
AdiSU (Apex) had maintained that its elections were already conducted as per established norms and that a duly elected executive body is currently in office. The organization also raised concerns that any parallel election would not only be unauthorized but could interfere with the internal autonomy of AdiSU.
Further complicating the matter, the dispute is reportedly sub judice before the High Court, Itanagar Bench, raising legal concerns over the conduct of any fresh election during this period.
Security forces were rushed to the spot to control the situation and prevent further escalation. Authorities are closely monitoring the developments, while appeals for calm have been issued from multiple quarters.
The situation in Pasighat remains tense, with the possibility of further unrest if the matter is not resolved promptly.
