No fresh incidents were reported since Tuesday night, officials said, with prohibitory orders and mobile internet suspension still in place across Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong. Around 1,000 personnel from police, CRPF, RAF, and the Army patrolled 12 affected villages, home to about 11,000 residents.
The unrest erupted in Kheroni area on December 22-23 after Karbi tribal protesters demanded eviction of alleged non-tribal settlers—mostly from Bihar—from over 7,000 bighas of protected Village Grazing Reserves (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) under the Sixth Schedule autonomous council.
Protesters torched shops, vehicles, and the ancestral home of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council chief Tuliram Ronghang. Clashes injured over 70 people, including 60 police officers. One Karbi youth died in police firing; a differently-abled non-tribal man, Suraj Dey, was burnt alive in his shop.
Families in affected villages remained confined indoors, markets shuttered, and kitchens cold amid fear. "We haven't slept in days," one resident told reporters anonymously. "Our homes are gone; terror lingers."
Karbi organisations claim their population dropped from 65% in 1971 to around 35% today, with markets now dominated by Hindi-speaking communities.
The hunger strike that sparked the protests ended after talks with ministers. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will chair tripartite discussions on December 26 involving protesters, the council, and government.
Authorities transferred district officials and urged dialogue. As talks loom, the region holds its breath for lasting resolution to deep-rooted land disputes threatening ethnic harmony.
.jpg)
