Arunachal police arrests Assam artist for anti-dam graffiti on the ‘Wall of Harmony’

Arunachal Police have arrested graffiti artist and activist Neelim Mahanta for an anti-dam graffiti that he painted on the ‘Wall of Harmony’ in Itanagar.

According to the sources, a team of Arunachal police have arrested the artist from his residence in Lakhimpur on Sunday. The artist was arrested for his artwork protesting the big river dam project in Dibang.

According to the  reports, Neelim Mahanta has been charged with non-bailable offences. Mahanta's two wall murals, one of which is dedicated to Lovlina Borgohain and the other to Zubeen Garg, have recently gone viral on social media.

Neelim Mahanta's major offences could be painting the  graffiti on the 'Wall of Harmony,' which celebrates Arunachal Pradesh's past history.

.Neelim Mahanta was reportedly summoned to Arunachal Pradesh to draw on the same in protest of the projected 57,000 MV Mega Dams Project.

He was charged for creating the artwork along with putting the words "No More Dams" on a memorial wall commemorating Arunachal Pradesh's 50th anniversary of independence.

Moreover,  Asom Jatiya Parishad (AJP) President Lurinjyoti Gogoi and local organisations have called on the Arunachal and Assam governments to release Mahanta immediately.

Earlier in Assam, Assam Police arrested a few Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti workers for creating graffiti demanding the release of then jailed  Akhil Gogoi.