12-hour bandh in Itanagar over illegal immigration paralyzes business activity

Normal life in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital came to a standstill on 9 December as local groups enforced a dawn-to-dusk shutdown to protest what they describe as unchecked illegal immigration from neighbouring regions. Commercial districts around Ganga Market, Secretariat and Naharlagun wore a deserted look; shops were shuttered, school buses stayed off the roads and government offices recorded thin attendance.

Organisers, led by the All Arunachal Students’ Union, accuse both state and central authorities of lax border management and demand stricter enforcement of the Inner Line Permit regime. They also object to the perceived proliferation of unauthorised religious structures, arguing that demographic change threatens the indigenous identity of the hill state.



For businesses, the bandh translated into lost sales at the start of the peak tourist season. Travel-management companies reported last-minute flight cancellations, while expat project managers overseeing hydropower and road-building contracts were advised to remain indoors. Logistics firms ferrying goods from Assam into the land-locked state faced delivery delays of up to 24 hours.

Although police maintained a heavy presence, no serious incidents were reported. Nevertheless, corporate security briefs circulated by relocation providers urged employers to factor such “flash” protests into risk assessments for assignees posted in India’s Northeast, where infrastructure projects often straddle sensitive border corridors.

Analysts note that the agitation reflects wider anxieties in several border states following the rollout of the stricter Immigration & Foreigners Act, 2025. While the new law gives authorities enhanced powers to detain and deport undocumented foreigners, local communities say effective implementation on the ground remains patchy.