Anti-dam protest video from Arunachal’s Pasighat falsely shared as villagers attacking an Army post and demanding to join China
Anti-dam protest video from Arunachal’s Pasighat falsely shared as villagers attacking an Army post and demanding to join China
Executive Summaryसारांश
The handle Irves claims a video shows villagers in Arunachal Pradesh raiding an Indian Army post, beating soldiers and demanding to “live in China”. Fact-checkers have labelled the post propaganda. The clip shows the October 23 protest in Pasighat against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, which had nothing to do with China or an Army post.The handle Irves claims a video shows villagers in Arunachal Pradesh raiding an Indian Army post, beating soldiers and demanding to “live in China”. Fact-checkers have labelled the post propaganda. The clip shows the October 23 protest in Pasighat against the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, which had nothing to do with China or an Army post.
Full Reportपूरी रिपोर्ट
On October 25, 2026, the X handle “Irves” (@Irves_Watch), which also spread the fake “Chinese soldiers searching Indian troops” claim, posted a night-time clip of a crowd clashing on a street with the overlay “Army ko maar raha hai” (“They are beating the Army”). It claimed local villagers in Arunachal Pradesh had raided an Indian Army post, beaten soldiers, and demanded that the Army leave because they wanted to live in China. Fact-checkers have labelled the post propaganda. The same footage, shared locally with the caption “Dam issue turn into hot issues”, shows the violent protest on the night of October 23, 2026, at Pasighat in East Siang district against the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. According to the Times of India and the Hindustan Times, protesters looted MLAs’ homes, set an NHPC facility on fire and damaged police vehicles, and central force personnel deployed for security were injured. The protest was against the dam, driven by local fears over displacement and the environment. No credible report mentions an attack on an Army post or any demand to join China. Twisting local unrest into a pro-China secessionist narrative is part of a coordinated campaign targeting Arunachal Pradesh, and such posts should be reported, not shared.
On October 25, 2026, the X handle “Irves” (@Irves_Watch), which also spread the fake “Chinese soldiers searching Indian troops” claim, posted a night-time clip of a crowd clashing on a street with the overlay “Army ko maar raha hai” (“They are beating the Army”). It claimed local villagers in Arunachal Pradesh had raided an Indian Army post, beaten soldiers, and demanded that the Army leave because they wanted to live in China. Fact-checkers have labelled the post propaganda. The same footage, shared locally with the caption “Dam issue turn into hot issues”, shows the violent protest on the night of October 23, 2026, at Pasighat in East Siang district against the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project. According to the Times of India and the Hindustan Times, protesters looted MLAs’ homes, set an NHPC facility on fire and damaged police vehicles, and central force personnel deployed for security were injured. The protest was against the dam, driven by local fears over displacement and the environment. No credible report mentions an attack on an Army post or any demand to join China. Twisting local unrest into a pro-China secessionist narrative is part of a coordinated campaign targeting Arunachal Pradesh, and such posts should be reported, not shared.