Assam violence leaves 173 security personnel injured

Guwahati: The violence in Kheroni in Assam on December 22-23 left 173 personnel of the Assam Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) injured.

In a post on X, the Assam Police said: "173 personnel of the Assam Police and CRPF India were injured in the incidents on 22-23 December 2025 under Kheroni PS in West Karbi Anglong. Of them, 139 received first aid at the spot, while 33 were referred to various hospitals for treatment."

Mobile internet services remain suspended in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong. The Army conducted a flag march on Wednesday and the Rapid Action Force has also been deployed. No fresh incidents have been reported, but several houses were torched and tension continues following clashes between police and protesters.


On Tuesday, angry protesters vandalised and looted shops in the Dongkamokam market area. Several civilians and police personnel were injured.

Residents have been agitating for days demanding eviction of alleged illegal encroachers from protected government land. The agitation includes an indefinite hunger strike that began on December 16, seeking immediate action from the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the KAAC would immediately cancel licences of all commercial establishments operating on Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) land. He chaired a meeting attended by representatives of Karbi organisations, civil society members and KAAC functionaries to review the situation.

The Chief Minister said the KAAC will file an affidavit before the Gauhati High Court in the first week of January on the VGR-PGR matter, which is before a Division Bench. Karbi civil society groups will also place their submissions. The State will request an early hearing and act in line with the court's verdict.

He added that all government offices currently on VGR-PGR land in Kheroni will be shifted, and the KAAC will fence around 8,000 bighas of such land and undertake afforestation to prevent fresh encroachment.