Mob torches assam council chief’s house; curfew imposed

The arson followed clashes between protesters and security forces over demands to evict alleged encroachers from protected grazing lands.

A mob in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on Monday set fire to the ancestral home of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) chief and senior BJP leader Tuliram Ronghang, sparking widespread violence and prompting authorities to impose curfew-like restrictions across the district, officials said. At least three protesters were injured as police opened fired to disperse the crowd, while a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan was also hurt, officials added.

Mob torches assam council chief’s house; curfew imposed

The arson followed clashes between protesters and security forces over demands to evict alleged encroachers from protected grazing lands. Several houses, shops and public properties were vandalised or torched in parts of Kheroni and nearby areas as the situation spiralled out of control.

The unrest later spread to Dongkamokam, Ronghang’s constituency, where protesters marched to his ancestral residence and set it ablaze. Ronghang said his elderly father, who usually stays at the house, was not present at the time. Only security personnel were stationed there, he added.

The violence was preceded by tension on Sunday night after police detained nine protesters, including a youth leader, from an indefinite hunger strike site in Kheroni.

The hunger strike, which had entered its 16th day, demanded the eviction of alleged illegal settlers from Village Grazing Reserves (VGRs) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGRs).

As news of the detentions spread, large crowds gathered on Monday morning, blocking roads, vandalising vehicles and clashing with security personnel. Police fired blank rounds to control the mob, but tensions intensified and culminated in the attack on Ronghang’s residence.

The agitation centres on alleged encroachment of about 7,184.7 acres of protected grazing land in Karbi Anglong.

Protesters argue that under the Sixth Schedule, land ownership by non-protected communities is prohibited and claim that large tracts have been occupied by outsiders.

Ronghang said eviction drives launched in some areas in 2024 were halted after affected residents moved the Gauhati High Court, rendering the matter sub judice.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday evening that some hunger-striking protesters had been shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital after their health deteriorated. He alleged that misinformation about their detention had fuelled public anger.

“We are aware of their demands for eviction, but we cannot overtake the High Court,” Sarma said, adding that resorting to violence would only complicate dialogue. He said the government remained open to talks and would take up the matter with higher authorities.

Following the violence, the district administrations of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong imposed curfew-like restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.

The orders prohibit gatherings of five or more people, public meetings, rallies and processions. They also ban inflammatory speeches, unauthorised use of loudspeakers, and the carrying of firearms or explosives.

Movement of individuals and private vehicles has been restricted between 5 pm and 6 am, with exemptions for emergency and essential services.

Following the incident, Assam director general of police Harmeet Singh reached Karbi Anglong, while education minister Ranoj Pegu was scheduled to visit the district to hold discussions with the protesters, the chief minister said.