No fresh violence in Assam’s Karbi Anglong

The situation remained tense but under control in two districts of Karbi Anglong in central Assam on Wednesday, with no fresh violence reported in the troubled areas, officials said. Two persons were killed, and at least 45 others, including 38 police personnel, were injured on Tuesday as fresh violence erupted in the Kheroni area in West Karbi Anglong district.

Assam Police DGP Harmeet Singh was hit on his shoulder during stone-pelting, while IG (Law and Order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh suffered injuries on his leg.

“As of now, the situation is under control. There was no violence throughout the night and this morning. However, it is very tense as the two warring communities started mobilising in small numbers at different places,” a senior official said.

After deploying five more CRPF companies in the area, security forces conducted a joint flag march in the morning, he added.

The Karbi and Bihari communities have been at loggerheads over allegations of encroachment on the Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) in tribal belts by the Hindi-speaking people.

“In the morning, Karbi people gathered at Thelampi in Kheroni and took out a procession towards Dongkamukam. They reached the bridge over Kapili, while people from the other community were waiting on the other side. The police managed to convince one community member to return from there,” the official said.

Despite prohibitory orders in force, a large number of Bihari people, including women and children whose shops were burnt allegedly by those belonging to the Karbi community on Monday, came out on the streets on Tuesday, and a clash broke out with agitators using stones, sticks, rods, and bows and arrows.

“When police tried to pacify both sides, they were pelted with stones. I took a hit on my shoulder, and an IPS officer (Akhilesh Singh) was injured. At least 38 personnel have been injured,” Singh told reporters on Tuesday night.

As the situation spiralled out of control, the police baton-charged and fired tear gas shells to disperse both groups of protesters.

At last, the police fired bullets at the protesters, killing one Karbi youth and injuring several others.

On the other hand, one specially-abled youth was burnt alive inside a shop in the Kheroni area, which houses people belonging to Bihari, Bengali and Nepali communities apart from the Karbis.

The body of the 25-year-old Suresh Dey was recovered from a building that was set ablaze by the Karbi people, while Athik Timung from the indigenous tribe was killed in police firing. Following a rise in violence, internet services in both Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts were suspended indefinitely on Tuesday for maintaining peace and tranquillity.

Agitators from the Karbi community had been on a hunger strike for the last 15 days, demanding the eviction of alleged illegal settlers, who mostly hail from Bihar, from the VGR and PGR land parcels in the two districts.

They went on a rampage on Monday after police took away three agitators from the protest site during the wee hours, a move which the administration later claimed was taken for their hospitalisation.

At least four people were injured in police firing on protesters on Monday after the mob set ablaze the residence of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang and around 15 shops belonging to the Bihari community at Kheroni market.

The agitators also attempted to attack the police station in Kheroni, but it was foiled by the security forces.

The protesters on Tuesday morning called off their hunger strike following talks with Assam Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu, who rushed to the district after the previous day’s violence.

They withdrew their strike following assurances from the Government that a tripartite talk will be held on the issue soon.

A senior official said on Wednesday that the first round of talks is expected on December 26 between Karbi agitating organisations, the Assam Government and KAAC.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the situation in Karbi Anglong was “very sensitive” and he was deeply pained over the deaths in the unrest.

“I am closely monitoring the situation in West Karbi Anglong... We are in constant touch with all concerned to restore normalcy and resolve issues through dialogue,” he added.

Offering his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, Sarma said the Government would stand with all affected families and provide all necessary support.

The DGP also appealed to all sections of society to explain to the “misguided youth” that violence cannot solve any problem, and the CM had said that he would hold discussions with them to address their grievances.

Prohibitory orders were imposed in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong.

Night curfew was also clamped in Karbi Anglong, with restrictions on the movement of any person or groups and private vehicles in the district from 5 pm to 6 am.