Two people were killed in fresh violence that engulfed Kheroni area of Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday(December 23, 2025). One of the victims was a person with disability.
West Karbi Anglong continued to burn on Tuesday with mobs vandalising and torching shops, setting vehicles ablaze, and attacking the police with bombs, stones, and arrows at Kheroni, about 190 km southeast of Guwahati.
The mobs ran riot in the central Assam district, defying restrictions imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) after violence broke out on Monday (December 22) over the demand of the Karbi tribal people to evict “outsiders” from two categories of government lands — village grazing reserves (VGRs) and professional grazing reserves (PGRs).
Confirming the “deeply painful” deaths, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said he was closely monitoring the situation in the district, which, along with Karbi Anglong further east, is governed by the tribal Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).
“Additional security forces will be deployed in Kheroni tomorrow (Wednesday) to maintain peace. We are in constant touch with all concerned to restore normalcy and resolve issues through dialogue… The government will stand with all affected families and provide all necessary support,” he said.
One of the victims, a tribal protester, succumbed to his injuries sustained during the clash. The other, a non-tribal person with disability was charred to death after he got trapped inside a building that was set ablaze.
The recurrence of violence made the Assam government temporarily suspend internet services in West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong, two Sixth Schedule districts administered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).
DGP on the ground
Assam’s Director General of Police Harmeet Singh, camping in the affected areas since Monday (December 22) evening, said 38 police personnel were injured in clashes with the protesters, who also torched a few vehicles.
“They attacked us from two sides. Thirty-eight police personnel, including an IPS officer, were injured. I was hit on the shoulder,” Mr. Singh told journalists at Kheroni.
“They (protesters) had promised yesterday that they would not resort to violence, but they attacked shops and burst gas cylinders again today. We were attacked with bombs, and one of our personnel was hit by an arrow. We are exercising restraint, firing only tear gas and rubber bullets,” the DGP said.
Appealing for peace, he warned that legal action would be taken if the violence continued.
Kheroni and Donkamokam, 26 km away, where the protesters torched the ancestral house of KAAC chief and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tuliram Ronghang, seemed to have calmed down on Monday (December 22) night when Assam’s Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and the DGP visited the area. The violence broke out soon after the Minister left the area around noon on Tuesday (December 23).
Discussions assured
Mr. Pegu said he persuaded the protesters to end their fortnight-long hunger strike, reminding them of the legal hurdles in taking up their demand of evicting the alleged encroachers of the VGRs and PGRs. “We are holding discussions with all stakeholders,” he said before exiting the Kheroni area.
Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said a rumour had triggered the violence on Monday (December 22). “The news spread that nine people on fast at Kheroni were arrested by the police on Sunday (December 21) night. In reality, they were brought to Guwahati as their health condition had deteriorated,” he said.
Mr. Sarma also said the State government was unable to act on the demand of the protesters as the matter was sub judice. The alleged settlers filed multiple petitions in the Gauhati High Court to stay the eviction notices served by KAAC authorities.
