Central Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district has witnessed fervent issues for days, and the scale and intensity of the violence, including attacks on law enforcement personnel, has been alarming. Police personnel were reportedly attacked with stones, arrows, and crude bombs. Shops and houses were torched, and the residence of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council chief, BJP’s Tuliram Ronghang, was set ablaze on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the army was deployed to maintain law and order in the violence-hit West Karbi Anglong district of Assam, the state DGP said. Shops were vandalized, gas cylinders were dragged and exploded, and large fires broke out in market areas. The Times of India, citing Assam DGP Harmeet Singh, reported that police personnel were attacked using arrows, stones, and crude bombs.
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Two deaths were reported on Tuesday: one man from the Karbi community who died during police action, and another from the Bengali community who was killed in an arson attack in the Kehroni market.
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What Sparked the Violence in Karbi Anglong
The violence erupted after police action against hunger strikers protesting the alleged encroachment on tribal land. The hunger strike had been ongoing for two weeks at Phelangpi in the Kehroni area, demanding the eviction of settlers from village grazing reserves and professional grazing reserves.
Tensions escalated sharply after nine hunger strikers were detained late Sunday night. The police said they were being shifted to Guwahati for medical treatment, citing deteriorating health. As more detentions took place, anger among tribal villagers intensified, leading to road blockades, vandalism, and eventually large-scale violence.
The Core Issue Behind the Violence in West Karbi Anglong: Tribal Land and Outsiders
At the heart of the conflict is a long-standing land dispute tied to Karbi Anglong’s status under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides special protection for tribal land and self-governance through autonomous councils. One of Assam's largest districts, it has a predominantly tribal demographic composition, with Karbis forming the largest community, followed by Dimasa, Garo, and Kuki tribes.