protests against the 1,000-mw Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Project in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, took a violent turn on December 9, 2006, when the police opened fire on protestors trying to break prohibitory orders imposed in the area. The orders had been imposed to prevent the agitating tribals from entering the construction site.

According to Arvind Sharda, the superintendent of police, when the police force tried to stop the people, a few of them started pelting stones, which injured around 25 personnel. The police then resorted to water cannons, teargas and even firing, in which five tribals were injured. One of them sustained a bullet injury on his arm, said Shyam Sunder Negi, president of the Karcham-Wangtoo Sangharsh Samiti, the main group of protestors.

As soon as the news of the firing spread, the situation became worse; agitators even blocked the Hindustan-Tibet road near Wangtoo.Jaypee Karcham Hydro Corporation