Mobile internet services restored in violence-hit Assam districts as situation stabilises

Mobile internet services in the violence-hit Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts of Assam were restored on Sunday following an improvement in the law and order situation, an official order said.

The suspension of services on December 23 had been imposed as a preventive measure to curb the spread of rumours and inflammatory messages amid violent clashes between the indigenous Karbi community and migrant settlers, mostly from Bihar. Authorities had acted to maintain public peace after widespread violence that left two people dead and over 170, mostly security personnel, injured.

An order by Ajay Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary of the Home and Political Department , stated that mobile internet services have been restored with immediate effect, as the situation in the two districts has “improved and normalised,” with no immediate threat to public peace. All service providers were directed to resume services from 8 am on Sunday .

The unrest originated from land disputes and community tensions . The Karbi community alleged that settlers were encroaching on Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands, traditionally reserved for tribal use. Karbi agitators had been on a 15-day hunger strike, demanding eviction of the alleged illegal settlers. Violence erupted after police took three protesters to a Guwahati hospital, reportedly for medical reasons, which the agitators perceived as suppression of their movement.

The Kheroni area of West Karbi Anglong witnessed severe violence, including police firing that killed one person and the burning of another inside his house. An earlier attempt to evict settlers had been stalled by a Gauhati High Court order, creating long-standing tensions.

Security forces played a key role in controlling the unrest. The Army, Rapid Action Force (RAF), CRPF, and Assam Police were deployed to assist in maintaining law and order, protect civilians, and enforce prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC. Their presence helped restore confidence among residents and enabled the gradual reopening of shops and other businesses.

Authorities emphasised that the internet suspension and deployment of additional forces reflected the seriousness of the riots , which posed a significant threat to public safety. A tripartite meeting on Friday between the state government, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and the protesters concluded with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma assuring that the government would approach the Gauhati High Court for an early order regarding eviction in grazing lands in both districts.