Violence Erupts in Assam Over Eviction Protests in Karbi Anglong

Protests demanding evictions in the West Karbi Anglong district of Assam took a violent turn on December 22, resulting in injuries and property damage. The unrest prompted local authorities to impose Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which allows for the maintenance of public order. Reports indicate that three individuals sustained injuries during the protests, which escalated when demonstrators set fire to the ancestral home of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Tuliram Ronghang, in the village of Dongkamukam.

The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, which oversees this predominantly tribal region, has been at the centre of the eviction demands. The protests have roots in a two-week-long hunger strike by nine individuals in Phelangpi, which aimed to draw attention to their grievances regarding land encroachments. As per the Assam Tribune, the state government is planning to convene a tripartite meeting involving the government, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, and representatives of the protesting locals to address the situation.

Assam Minister Ranoj Pegu, accompanied by additional chief secretary Ajay Tiwari, visited the affected areas following the violence. Reports suggest that the hunger strike was suspended after the minister’s intervention. Assam's Director General of Police, Harmeet Singh, was also present during the visit.

The protesters are urging for the eviction of encroachers from Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) lands, a demand long championed by Karbi tribal organisations. On the day of the violence, police attempted to remove the striking protesters from the site for medical reasons, an action that reportedly incited further agitation among the locals.

Authorities, including Inspector General of Police Akhilesh Singh, stated that the protesters were taken to Gauhati Medical College for medical attention, but many assumed they were being arrested, which escalated tensions. "Additional forces have rushed in. We have also called in the Central Reserve Police Force and commandos to restore order in the area," Singh told the Indian Express.

Ronghang was not present at the time his house was attacked. However, there were reports of stone-pelting near a police station in Kheroni and attacks on Bihari and Nepali residents in the area, as per IGP Singh. The BJP leader had previously promised action on eviction issues following similar protests in 2024, when it was claimed that 103 families were encroaching on grazing lands in the Phuloni circle.

Earlier protests were prompted by a memorandum submitted by a community group to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, which included calls for the legalisation of settlers occupying these lands. However, the promised evictions have not yet taken place, with Ronghang citing that those served eviction notices had sought legal recourse in the Gauhati High Court.