After two deaths, fragile calm returns to West Karbi Anglong amid heavy security

Karbi Anglong, Dec 24: The situation in West Karbi Anglong showed signs of stabilising on Wednesday, a day after violent unrest left two people dead, with central forces, the Indian Army and additional Assam Police battalions deployed across sensitive areas.

Residents said conditions were calmer compared to Tuesday, though normal life remained paralysed. Shops and educational institutions continued to remain shut, and internet services stayed suspended in both Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts.

A local resident said conditions had improved, though normal life remained disrupted. “The situation is better now. However, all shops and schools remain closed,” he told the press.

Reports of protests have also emerged as fallout of the two deaths that occurred on Tuesday evening. They were identified as Suraj Dey, a 25-year-old specially abled man, and Athi Timung, a Karbi local.

Dey’s body was reportedly recovered from a building that had been set on fire during the violence, while Timung was killed in police firing.

Members of the Bengali Juba Chattra Parishad staged demonstrations in the district demanding justice for Dey.

Urging restraint, the organisation appealed to Karbi communities to maintain peace and called on the administration to act firmly against those responsible for the violence.

“We urge our Karbi brothers not to indulge in violence and to maintain peace. We also want the administration to bring the culprits to book,” a member of the organisation said.

Addressing the situation earlier on Tuesday, Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh said the unrest had been fuelled by misinformation and deliberate attempts to mislead the public, even as police exercised maximum restraint despite repeated attacks.

Singh said crowds had begun gathering from December 22 and that he personally engaged with protesters through the night without security cover.

According to the DGP, protesters stormed the Kopili Bridge on December 22 before dispersing following dialogue with authorities. However, fresh violence erupted on the evening of December 23 when another attempt was made to occupy the bridge.

“When police tried to push them back, they were attacked with crude bombs and stones. I was personally attacked with bows and arrows and hit by stones,” Singh said.

At least 48 police personnel, including two IPS officers, were injured during the clashes. Singh said shops were torched and vandalised even before attacks on security personnel began.

He also warned that cylinders filled with inflammable material had been planted in various alleys, with one such cylinder thrown at security forces.

“We have video evidence and will take legal action against those involved,” the DGP said, stressing that violence would not resolve the issue.

Appealing for calm, Singh urged community elders to counsel the youth involved, cautioning that they may have been misled or exploited. He said the government remained open to dialogue and had fixed a date for a tripartite meeting to address grievances.

Earlier, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who visited the district on Monday, said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had agreed to chair the proposed discussions on December 26, 2025.

With inputs from agencies