Violent clashes that erupted in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district last week resulted in significant casualties among security forces, with the state police confirming a high number of injuries. The unrest, which claimed two civilian lives, has brought a long-simmering land dispute back into sharp focus.
Scale of Violence and Official Confirmation
On Saturday, Assam Police released an official statement detailing the extent of injuries sustained by security personnel during the confrontations on December 22 and 23. A total of 173 personnel from Assam Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured in the violence. The police breakdown indicated that 139 personnel received immediate first aid at the scene, while 33 others required more extensive treatment and were transferred to various hospitals.
The situation in both Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts is now slowly returning to normal, with authorities reporting a gradual stabilization. No fresh incidents have been reported in recent hours. To maintain order, security forces remain on high alert, with prohibitory orders still active and internet services suspended in the affected areas.
Root Cause: A Protest Over Land Rights
The genesis of the violence lies in a persistent land dispute. Agitators from the Karbi community had been holding a 15-day hunger strike, demanding the eviction of alleged illegal settlers from Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands. These lands are located within protected tribal belts, and the settlers are reported to be predominantly from Bihar.
Tensions first escalated on Monday when police intervened at the protest site in the early hours. Three protestors were removed with the stated intention of shifting them to a hospital in Guwahati due to their deteriorating health. While the administration later clarified this was purely a medical evacuation, the action was perceived negatively by the agitators, sparking anger.
Escalation and Tragic Consequences
The simmering tensions boiled over into severe violence on Tuesday in the Kheroni area. The clashes reached a tragic peak with two fatalities. One individual was killed in police firing, and in a separate horrific incident, another person was burnt alive inside his own house. This issue of settlers occupying grazing reserves is not new and has been a point of contention for several years. A previous attempt at eviction last year was halted after the Gauhati High Court passed an interim stay order on a petition.
Path to Resolution and Government Assurance
In a bid to de-escalate the situation and find a permanent solution, a tripartite meeting was convened on Friday. The meeting brought together representatives of the state government, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and the protestors. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma provided a key assurance during these discussions. He stated that the government would approach the Gauhati High Court to seek an early order for lifting the existing stay, which would then enable the lawful eviction of settlers from the grazing lands in both districts.
The state government's commitment to a legal resolution is seen as a critical step toward addressing the core grievance and restoring lasting peace to the region. The focus now remains on maintaining calm while the judicial process unfolds.
