Guwahati: A delegation of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Saturday visited violence-hit areas of West Karbi Anglong to assess the ground situation after the recent unrest that left two people dead and dozens injured earlier this week.
The visit comes at a time when tensions continue to simmer in the region. Protests over alleged encroachment on protected tribal lands escalated into clashes, arson and confrontations with security forces between December 22 and 23. Consequently, several areas witnessed widespread unrest.
The agitation centred around demands by Karbi community organisations to evict non-tribal settlers from Village Grazing Reserves (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR), which are prot ected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, the Assam Congress shared details of the visit on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the delegation interacted with locals, appealed for peace and called for justice. The team included MLA Yadav Swargiary, former minister Pranoy Rabha, APCC general secretaries Bitopan Saikia and Ashok Teron, district president Augustine Enghee and secretary Prashanta Kumar Mahanta, among others.
During the visit, the delegation engaged with affected residents in areas like Kheroni, which bore the maximum brunt of the violence. They urged authorities to restore peace while also emphasising the need for meaningful dialogue to address long-pending grievances and ensure justice for the affected families.
Earlier, the violence prompted the administration to deploy Army columns, impose prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita, suspend internet services, and step up security measures. Moreover, a tripartite meeting involving the state government, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, and Karbi organisations on December 26 decided to pursue evictions through legal channels, including approaching the Gauhati High Court, and to cancel certain trading licenses issued after 1951.
As of Saturday, officials reported no fresh incidents and described the situation as calm but sensitive under continued security vigil.
The Congress delegation’s outreach underscores the opposition’s effort to highlight community concerns and push for peace and dialogue in the tribal-dominated district.