HT Bureau
DIPHU/KHERONI, Feb 2: Normal life came to a halt in Diphu and adjoining areas on Monday as an undeclared shutdown coincided with a massive public mobilisation at Phelangpi in Kheroni, West Karbi Anglong, where thousands of indigenous people gathered to demand the eviction of encroachers from Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserves (VGR).
Although no organisation had formally called for a bandh, commercial establishments across Diphu remained closed voluntarily throughout the day.
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Major business areas such as Rongkhelan, Birla and Lorulangso wore a deserted look from early morning till evening, reflecting widespread support for the protest.
Long-distance buses continued to ply, and private vehicles were seen on the roads, while government offices and educational institutions under the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council remained closed on account of the Barithe Karkli holiday, traditionally observed with sacrificial rituals.
The day was marked as ‘Karbi Arani’ (Karbi Day), and the focal point of the observance was Phelangpi, where a ‘United Front for Land Protection’ staged a large demonstration.
The protest followed a call by activist leaders, including Litsong Rongphar, and brought together a wide spectrum of indigenous organisations such as the Indigenous Forum Assam, Sonowal Kachari and Tiwa students’ unions, AJYCP, and other linguistic and indigenous Bhumiputra groups.
The rally drew momentum from lingering tensions following the violence on December 23, 2025, in Kheroni and Dongkamukam, in which two persons were killed.
Speakers at the gathering asserted that the protection of PGR and VGR land is a question of survival for indigenous communities.
“We are ready to sacrifice our lives, but we will not part with an inch of our land,” leaders of the Tiwa Students’ Union declared, drawing loud applause from the crowd.
The protesters placed three key demands before the KAAC and the state government: immediate eviction of all illegal encroachers from protected grazing lands; enactment and enforcement of strong legal measures to prevent future encroachment; and safeguarding of land rights of hill tribes and linguistic indigenous communities.
The demonstration concluded peacefully, but the situation in West Karbi Anglong remained tense, with security agencies maintaining heightened alert.
Protest leaders warned that the agitation would be intensified if decisive action is not taken to protect ancestral lands from encroachment.
