West Karbi Anglong unrest: 2 dead, DGP & IGP among 50 cops hurt in clash; internet services suspended

GUWAHATI: Two persons died, one in clashes with police and the other in a fire, as hundreds of protesters armed with crude bombs, bows and arrows and stones battled cops over alleged encroachment by illegal non-tribal settlers in forest areas in West Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday.

Assam Police DGP Harmeet Singh, IGP (law and order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh, and 48 police personnel sustained injuries.

Police sources said a tribal man died in police action against protesters and a non-tribal man died in a fire at the Kheroni main market.

By late afternoon, the administration suspended mobile internet services in both West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts indefinitely to “maintain public peace and tranquillity and to prevent any deterioration of the present situation”. Voice calls and broadband services via fixed lines, however, remained unaffected.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma wrote on ‘X’: “I am closely monitoring the situation in West Karbi Anglong. It is deeply painful that two persons lost their lives during today’s unrest. Additional security forces will be deployed in Kherani tomorrow to maintain peace. We are in constant touch with all concerned to restore normalcy and resolve issues through dialogue. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The govt will stand with all affected families and provide all necessary support.”

DGP Singh said, “It was a proper attack by protestors. I was attacked with bows and arrows, which had to be blocked with shields. I was also hit by stones,” he said.

Singh added that protestors used gas cylinders to set shops and markets ablaze, even throwing one cylinder at security forces. “Govt is ready to talk. A date has been set for a tripartite talk over their demands. Violence does not achieve anything. We have all the videos and faces. Legal action will follow. My appeal to society is to explain to these youths that violence will not help. They are misguided and being misused,” he said.

Appealing for unity, Singh said, “Nepal was running on tourism. Look at Nepal, what has happened there. Assam and the country are on the path to progress. My request is that we work together.”

The two hill districts are governed by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Residents have long protested encroachment on professional grazing reserve (PGR) and village grazing reserve (VGR) lands, demanding evictions for over a year. Since Dec 6, many have been on a hunger strike.

On Tuesday, tensions continued as shops and markets in Kheroni — now the epicentre of the crisis — were torched.

Earlier in the day, cabinet minister Ranoj Pegu met agitators at violence-hit Kheroni. He said the protesters agreed to halt their hunger strike and join tripartite talks with the state govt and KAAC scheduled for Dec 26.

Pegu said, “The Karbi community has been on hunger strike since Dec 6 with demands including eviction from PGR and VGR lands. An unwanted situation emerged when police shifted a few hunger-striking agitators to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital after their health deteriorated. The group initially misunderstood this, leading to unrest. Today, we assured the Karbi community that the govt is serious about land rights and other tribal issues.”

Though land issues fall under KAAC’s jurisdiction, Pegu said the state govt would hold tripartite talks involving KAAC representatives to address the “greater and broader issues related to the existence of the Karbi community”.

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