Guwahati, December 23, 2025 – Violence continued for a second day in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday, with protesters from the Karbi tribal community clashing with police in Kheroni, torching shops, vandalising properties, and attacking security forces with bombs, stones, and arrows.
The unrest stems from long-standing demands for the eviction of alleged “outsiders” encroaching on Village Grazing Reserves (VGRs) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGRs), protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for indigenous tribal communities.
Despite prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in force since Monday in both West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts, protesters defied restrictions, leading to intense confrontations.
Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Harmeet Singh, who has been on the ground since Monday, reported that 38 police personnel, including an IPS officer, were injured in the attacks. “They attacked us from two sides… We were attacked with bombs. One of our personnel was hit by an arrow,” Singh said, adding that police exercised restraint by using only tear gas and rubber bullets.
The DGP appealed for peace but warned of legal action if violence persisted. Protesters had briefly calmed down on Monday after Education Minister Ranoj Pegu persuaded them to end a fortnight-long hunger strike, promising dialogue. However, clashes resumed shortly after the minister departed.
In response to escalating tensions, the state government suspended mobile internet and data services in both districts until further notice.
The protests intensified on Monday when rumors spread that nine hunger strikers had been arrested; Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma later clarified they were shifted to Guwahati for medical treatment due to deteriorating health. This led to protesters torching the ancestral home of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang in Donkamokam.
Eviction efforts were stalled last year after the Gauhati High Court issued an interim stay on notices served by the KAAC administration. Authorities have urged calm, with tripartite talks involving protesters, the council, and the state government scheduled soon. The situation remains tense, with heavy security deployment in the area.
