New violence, connected to the ongoing dispute regarding the eviction of the same land, has left the Karbi Anglong area of the state of Assam reeling, resulting in two deaths, with dozens left injured, and Internet services suspended, amid efforts by the government to restore order.
The violence, which started in the Kheroni area, has since spilled over to the rest of the Sixth Schedule hill district. These areas are now under the threat of prohibitory orders and more security personnel.“Mobile internet services have been suspended in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts as a precaution against rumors, which are trying to spread through social media, aggravating the situation further,” said the Assam government regarding the ban on mobile internet services. However, mobile calls, as well as fixed-line internet access, remain available despite the ban on mobile internet. The ban came as a result of clashes during an eviction drive.
A minimum of two persons lost lives, and about 45 others were wounded in the violence. Among them, 38 were from the police force. According to reports, the violence began between two groups of protesters in the Kheroni and Dongkamukam regions. The police had to resort to lathi-charges and tear gas shells to disperse the violent mobs that went out of control.The root cause of this agitation is the dispute over the Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands.
These lands are classified as Sixth Schedule entities within the Constitution, receiving special safeguards to ensure the rights of the tribal lands over the particular hill districts are not violated. The protesters have been demanding the removal of alleged encroachers from these protected reserves, stating that lands have been occupied illegitimately over the years.
Tension heightened especially when the police arrested nine protesters who had been on a hunger strike and relocated them for medical attention. Despite the claim by the authorities that the action was only for the benefit of their health, news broke out almost immediately about the arrest of the protesters. This caused widespread anger, resulting in widespread mobilization and violence in different regions.
In the midst of the unrest, several houses, business entities, motorcycles, as well as government property, were vandalized and/or burnt in areas of Kheroni. Violence spilled over to Dongkamukam, which is the constituency of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) leader Tuliram Ronghang. Protests led to the burning of Ronghang’s ancestral home on Monday.
However, in view of the deteriorating environment in terms of law and order, the district administration has imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). This prohibits assembly consisting five or more persons, rallies, torch processions, using loudspeakers, and assemblies of five or more persons from 5 pm to 6 am.
The security forces are deployed in large numbers to avoid further violence.”We are making efforts to control the situation through dialogue and administrative steps,” said Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh, adding, “We appeal to the public to remain calm and take up their demands through legal and constitutional channels because otherwise, they will invite strict action.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that he is closely following events in Karbi Anglong and directed additional forces be deployed in the region to ensure that there is peace. In a message of condolence to families of persons who lost their lives, he urged restraint. However, the agitations have again brought to light a long-standing land dispute in the area of Karbi Anglong, where the protesters have alleged the encroachment of over 7,184 acres of grazing reserve land.
Additionally, the matter has become more complicated by the legal battle that is ongoing between the groups, as the Gauhati High Court has stayed the eviction operation in several cases. Meanwhile, the authorities are busy trying to stabilize the situation.
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