In Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Tuesday, a violent clash between protestors demanding the eviction of "illegal settlers" and security forces resulted in 44 injuries, including nine police personnel, an official reported. The confrontation escalated when police baton-charged the demonstrators and fired into the air, while the protestors, who had strayed from the approved route, retaliated by throwing stones at the law enforcement officers.
Several organizations staged a protest march to demand the removal of illegal settlers from the Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) in Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts. The demonstrators had been granted permission to march to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) office to present a memorandum to the Chief Executive Member (CEM).
The situation turned tense when the protesters deviated from the permitted route and did not pay heed to the security forces when they asked them to maintain the designated path. The protestors clashed with the police and the situation turned violent with the security forces firing in the air to disperse the crowd.
The protest turned violent when demonstrators began throwing stones at police personnel who had baton-charged them. As a result, 35 protestors and nine police officers were injured in the clash. Karbi Anglong Superintendent of Police Sanib Kumar Saikia reported that four people have been arrested so far. While the situation has been brought under control, tension remains in the area. The Karbi Students Association and the youth wing of the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC), along with other organizations, had organized the protest against the illegal occupation of land in the Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR).
The alleged illegal settlers and protestors clashed in February at Kheroni Chariali in West Karbi Anglong district following which the KAAC chief executive member Tuliram Ronghang had called a meeting of several organisations to resolve the issue.