‘The police watched as my home was burnt’: Why Assam’s Karbi Anglong Went Up in Flames
December 26, 2025
In the hills of central Assam, a long-simmering dispute over land and identity erupted into devastating violence this week, leaving two people dead, dozens injured, and entire markets reduced to ashes. At the heart of the unrest in West Karbi Anglong district lies a clash between indigenous Karbi tribal communities and non-tribal settlers, primarily from Bengali, Bihari, and Nepali backgrounds.
One resident’s harrowing account captures the terror: “The police watched as my home was burnt,” Mahima Dey told reporters, describing how her family fled into a nearby river as flames engulfed their house in Kheroni market amid heavy police presence on December 23.
Roots of the Conflict
West Karbi Anglong and neighbouring Karbi Anglong are Sixth Schedule autonomous districts, granting special protections to tribal lands under the Indian Constitution. Village Grazing Reserves (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) are reserved exclusively for tribal use, with strict restrictions on non-tribal settlement.
Karbi organisations have long accused non-tribal settlers of illegally encroaching on thousands of acres, threatening indigenous livelihoods and cultural survival. In February 2024, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), led by BJP’s Tuliram Ronghang, announced eviction drives following tribal protests—but implementation stalled due to legal challenges and demands for regularising pre-2011 settlements.
How Protests Turned Violent
Tensions boiled over with a 15-day hunger strike by Karbi activists at Phelangpi/Kheroni, demanding immediate evictions.
- On December 22, authorities moved fasting protesters to hospital for health reasons, but rumours of arrests sparked outrage.
- Crowds marched, clashed with police, and torched Ronghang’s ancestral home in Dongkamukam—a symbolic act of frustration over perceived inaction.
Violence peaked on December 23 in Kheroni market, where mobs vandalised and set fire to shops and homes owned by non-tribal residents. Protesters attacked police with stones, arrows, and crude bombs; security forces responded with tear gas, lathi-charges, and firing.
Human Cost and Aftermath
Two lives were lost: a Karbi protester in police action and a non-tribal resident (a specially-abled youth named Suresh Dey) trapped in a burning building. Over 70 people were injured, including more than 60 police personnel.
Curfew was imposed, mobile internet suspended across both districts, and the Army conducted flag marches. By December 25, no fresh violence was reported, with the situation described as tense but under control.
Path to Resolution?
The hunger strike ended after talks with Assam minister Ranoj Pegu. Tripartite discussions involving Karbi groups, the state government, and KAAC are scheduled, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expected to chair a key meeting.
Yet underlying grievances remain: tribal fears of demographic change versus settlers’ claims of longstanding roots and economic contributions. As one affected resident put it, the flames in Kheroni exposed fractures that dialogue alone may struggle to heal.
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