Guwahati, December 23, 2025 – The tense situation in Kheroni, West Karbi Anglong district of Assam, escalated further on Tuesday as non-tribal residents launched massive protests, torching at least two motorcycles in retaliatory violence amid heavy police deployment.
Armed with sticks and rods, crowds primarily from non-tribal communities (many of Nonia/Bihari origin) blocked highways from early morning, expressing outrage over arson attacks on their properties the previous day.
Protesters hurled stones at security forces, who responded with lathi charges, rubber bullets, and tear gas shells to disperse the mobs and prevent further escalation.
Assam Police Director General Harmeet Singh personally monitored ground operations, with additional paramilitary forces positioned to maintain order.
The epicenter of chaos was near the Kapili Bridge (also known as Kheroni Bridge or Thong Nokbe), where a passenger bus was trapped—blocked by Karbi groups on one side and non-tribal protesters on the other.
A group of Karbi youths on motorcycles was allegedly attacked by the non-tribal side, leading to their bikes being smashed and set on fire. Women from non-tribal communities also joined the protests, brandishing sticks, while Karbi residents stayed vigilant on the opposite bank.
Security personnel formed a human barrier in the middle of the bridge to separate the rival groups.
The unrest stems from Monday’s violence, sparked by tribal protests demanding eviction of alleged encroachers from protected Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserves (VGR). Monday saw arson on non-tribal properties and the ancestral home of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) CEM Tuliram Ronghang.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 BNSS remain in force, with authorities urging calm and announcing tripartite talks involving the state government, KAAC, and protesters to resolve the land dispute crisis.
The situation remains volatile, with heavy security deployment to avert communal flare-ups in the sensitive hill district.
