Escalating Violence in Assam's Karbi Anglong District Amid Protests

Clashes Erupt in Kheroni

Violence broke out once again in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday, marking the second day of clashes between two factions during protests aimed at evicting Hindi-speaking individuals from grazing lands near Kheroni.

In response to the unrest, law enforcement deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to manage the situation as tensions flared between the Karbi community and non-Karbis.

The Director General of Police, Harmit Singh, reported that 38 police officers sustained injuries during the confrontations, and he himself was struck by a stone amid the chaos.

Authorities have imposed an indefinite suspension of mobile internet services in both Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.

The exact number of injured protesters remains uncertain, although earlier reports indicated that at least eight individuals had been hurt.

For the past two weeks, members of the Karbi community have been on a hunger strike, demanding the removal of Hindi-speaking individuals from Kheroni, particularly those with roots in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The protesters are insisting that Hindi speakers vacate both village grazing reserves and professional grazing areas.

On Monday, a mob set fire to the ancestral home of Tuliram Ronghang, a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party leader and head of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, in West Karbi Anglong.

This council operates as a self-governing body for the Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, currently led by the BJP.

Protesters also vandalized shops and vehicles belonging to non-tribals in the Kheroni market, with around 15 shops reported to have been set ablaze.

In light of the violence, local authorities have banned public gatherings under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita until further notice.

Despite these prohibitions, demonstrators gathered on Tuesday to protest the previous day's violence, reiterating their demands for the eviction of Hindi-speaking individuals from the tribal region.

Clashes ensued, resulting in injuries to protesters, police, and journalists, prompting law enforcement to use baton charges and tear gas to disperse the crowds.

Additional police forces have been dispatched to the area to maintain order.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh reported that protesters set fire to several establishments owned by non-tribal residents near Zero Point.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described the situation in Karbi Anglong as 'very sensitive' and noted that Ranoj Pegu, the state's education minister, was present in the district.

The Chief Minister expressed optimism that the situation would be resolved promptly.

Pegu, who arrived in the district on Monday night, mentioned that following his appeal, the protesters agreed to end their hunger strike and engage in discussions with the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the Assam government.

Discussions are scheduled to be led by Sarma on December 26, according to Pegu.

On Tuesday, Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi expressed his shock and disappointment over the violent incidents in Kheroni and the arson of Ronghang's residence. He urged the Chief Minister to take immediate action to prevent further harm to the district's residents.

The Karbi community is recognized as Assam's third-largest tribe, comprising 11.1% of the state's 38.8 lakh tribal population, following the Bodo and Mising tribes.

In February 2024, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council ordered the eviction of over 2,000 families from grazing lands in Assam, claiming they were unauthorized occupants.

Most of those affected were Hindi-speaking individuals with origins in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

This decision followed protests by Karbi civil society groups against the Hindi-speaking population in the area, which escalated into violence on February 15, 2024, when members of a Karbi student group were allegedly attacked by Hindi speakers.