A 24-hour shutdown forced Muslims in Arunachal Pradesh’s capital region to spend Id indoors on Thursday. (May 28, 2026).Their counterparts elsewhere in the State and the region beyond, especially Assam, observed the festival largely without sacrificing cows, following calls by Muslim leaders and organisations to honour the sentiments of Hindus and followers of other faiths.The Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organisation (APIYO) had called the shutdown from 5 a.m. on May 28 to 5 a.m. on May 29 to protest alleged government inaction against illegal structures, including mosques, and undocumented migrants, mostly perceived to be Bangladeshi nationals.The shutdown, coinciding with the festival of sacrifice, affected normal life in the capital region comprising Itanagar, Naharlagun, and other urban centres.‘Shutdown illegal’The local authorities, citing Supreme Court directives, said the shutdown was illegal under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. They said a few people linked to the shutdown were apprehended as a preventive measure.People across the State criticised the shutdown on Id, a gazetted public holiday, alleging that it indirectly targeted Muslims. APIYO president Taro Sonam Liyak denied targeting any religious community, insisting that the organisation had been campaigning against the illegal migrant issue since 2023 to protect the demographic interest of the indigenous peoples.“We have been asking the government to identify and deport alleged illegal Bangladeshi migrants. We have also been questioning the legality of mosques and madrasas in certain areas. The government’s inaction compelled us to call the shutdown,” he told journalists.Earlier, State’s Deputy Inspector General of Police Tumme Amo appealed to the people to reject the “bandh culture” and continue normal activities under police protection.The police, however, said there were no incidents of violence during the shutdown.According to Census 2011, Muslims account for less than 2% of the total population in Arunachal Pradesh. Many of them live in the capital region. Published - May 28, 2026 08:02 pm IST