Assam police arrest land rights activist Pranab Doley over Kaziranga luxury hotel

Doley, who contested the 2021 assembly polls independently, was picked up by a team of Dispur police station in Guwahati

Published on: Jul 12, 2026, 19:37:39 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Guwahati

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Assam police on Sunday arrested land rights activist Pranab Doley in connection with a case registered against him at Bokakhat.

The 40-year-old convenor of the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee (GKLHRPC) vocally opposed proposed luxury hotels near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR). (Screengrab/ X)

A police officer in Guwahati, requesting anonymity said that Doley was picked up in connection with a case registered against him at Bokakhat police station on June 29 under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal conspiracy, causing hurt to public servant to prevent them from discharging duty, unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal trespass and criminal intimidation.

Doley, who contested the 2021 assembly polls independently, was picked up by a team of Dispur police station in Guwahati from the Sundarpur area.

The 40-year-old convenor of the Greater Kaziranga Land and Human Rights Protection Committee (GKLHRPC) vocally opposed proposed luxury hotels near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR), the largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhino and a UNESCO world heritage site.

Doley and local residents at Hatikhuli near KNPTR have opposed the construction of a five-star hotel in the area due to concerns about displacement, impact on the environment, and the movement of wild animals, staging protests in recent days against it.

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“What kind of democracy is this if we are not allowed to raise voice of the people? The police who came to arrest me didn’t produce any arrest warrant,” Doley said.

The Assam government announced in 2023 that a luxury hotel will be constructed at Kaziranga.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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