Karbi Anglong (Assam) [India], December 23 (HBTV): Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) has been imposed in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district following violent protests, as authorities moved to maintain public order and prevent further escalation.
According to a prohibitory order issued by Karbi Anglong District Magistrate Nirola Phangchopi, Section 163 has been enforced from December 22, 2025, until further notice. The order aims to prevent ‘anti-social elements’ from causing ethnic or communal disturbances and to safeguard life and property.
Under the restrictions, the gathering of five or more persons has been prohibited, along with a total restriction on the movement of people and private vehicles between 5:00 PM and 6:00 AM. The order also bars rallies, picketing, torch processions and dharnas in public places. Carrying firearms, setting off firecrackers, making inflammatory or anti-national speeches, and displaying provocative posters or wall writings have been prohibited. The use of loudspeakers or microphones without prior permission is also not allowed.
Police personnel, military forces and government officials on duty have been exempted from the movement restrictions, while individuals facing medical emergencies have been permitted to move. Educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities conducting examinations, as well as government and private offices, have been allowed to function as usual.
Assam Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu and Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh reached the affected area to assess the situation on the ground.
The violence erupted after protesters, who were staging sit-in demonstrations demanding the eviction of alleged illegal encroachers from Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands, set fire to the residence of the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). The incident took place in the Dongkamukam area near Kheroni in West Karbi Anglong district.
Three protesters and a few security personnel were injured during clashes between the demonstrators and the security forces. Officials said protesters pelted stones and attacked security personnel, forcing the police to resort to blank firing to bring the situation under control.
A senior police official stated that additional security forces have been deployed in the area to restore normalcy. Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), said, ‘We are mobilising extra forces to bring the situation to normalcy. The mob also set ablaze the residence of the CEM of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council. Some security personnel sustained minor injuries, and we are collecting the data.’
Reports indicate that the situation turned violent after police picked up a few protesters on Monday morning. Following this, a large number of local residents blocked roads and marched towards Dongkamukam, where the ancestral residence of KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was set on fire. A mob also damaged several houses, a school bus and other structures in a basti area near Dongkamukam, prompting senior police officials to rush to the spot.
The protests stem from a long-standing demand to evict settlers from PGR and VGR lands. The KAAC had issued eviction notices in February 2024, but the process has been stalled following a petition in the Gauhati High Court, which raised concerns over possible contempt of court.
(ANI)