In a move that has sparked anger and unease, police in Diphu have detained Karbi youth leader and social activist Lichong Rongphar for spearheading protests demanding eviction of alleged illegal settlers from VGR (Village Grazing Reserve) and PGR (Professional Grazing Reserve) lands in Karbi Anglong.
The irony is stark: while Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government is carrying out aggressive eviction drives in the plains—Lakhimpur, Dhubri, Goalpara and Uriamghat—similar demands raised in Karbi Anglong are being met with police crackdowns instead of action.
Rongphar had been leading a series of mass protests, insisting that Bengali and Bihari settlers occupying VGR and PGR lands be removed. He and allied organizations were even verifying land records of non-tribal residents in Howraghat’s Rongkut area, while pressing for cancellation of pattas issued to non-tribals. His arrest has triggered widespread resentment, with fears of public unrest looming large.
This is not the first time police have swooped down on voices challenging questionable land allotments. Earlier, a youth from Dima Hasao who filed a petition against the allotment of 3,000 bighas to a cement company was also briefly detained before public protests forced his release.
Critics say the government’s double standards are clear: eviction drives are swift and harsh in the plains, but when Karbi organizations demand similar action in their homeland, the campaign is suddenly silenced. The arrest of Lichong Rongphar is now being seen not just as a law-and-order move, but as a suppression of indigenous rights struggles in Karbi Anglong.
Another tragedy has struck Guwahati’s flyover construction drive. Two labourers lost their lives and others were grievously injured after coming into contact with an 11kV overhead power line at the under-construction GNB Road flyover. One of the victims fell from the structure after being electrocuted, while others narrowly survived.
Shockingly, despite repeated accidents — 2 deaths and 5 injuries in just nine months — no investigation has been launched, and no agency has accepted responsibility.
The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has washed its hands off, claiming responsibility only “up to the electricity meter.” The Chief Electrical Inspector’s office says it...
The All Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has launched a fiery protest in Guwahati, accusing the BJP-led Central government of “betraying Assam” by extending the stay of non-Muslim foreigners till December 31, 2024.
According to AJYCP, this move tramples upon the Assam Accord and loads Assam with a 53-year burden of illegal migrants. Leaders warned that the Centre is turning the state into a “dumping ground” for Bangladeshis and destroying Assamese identity.
“This government has insulted the memory of five martyrs of the anti-CAA movement. Instead of respecting Assam’s sacrifice, they have added ten more years to the foreigners’ burden,” thundered AJYCP president...
Guwahati: A storm has broken out after revelations in the Gauhati High Court that the Assam Government sold 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao to a private cement company at ₹2 lakh per bigha. The disclosure, made during a hearing yesterday, has drawn sharp reactions across the state.
The land in question, reserved under the Sixth Schedule for tribal communities in Umrangso, was allotted to Mahabali Cement Company. Following petitions from affected parties, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi’s bench took a stern view, asking how such transfer of protected land could take place. The court directed the Assam Government to file an affidavit within two days, producing all related documents of...
On 28th August 2025, Panbazar Higher Secondary School in Guwahati hosted an impactful Awareness Programme focused on mental health and drug abuse among teenage children. The event saw active participation from 60 students of Classes VI to XII, 11 school teachers, and a delegation of 15 Rotarians, demonstrating strong community collaboration.
The session was led by expert resource persons Mr. Birendra Kr. Boxla and Mr. Richard Johnson Claridge from Snehalaya and Sita Centre, who addressed critical issues such as mental health challenges, peer pressure, and substance abuse dangers. They emphasized the importance of early intervention, open dialogue, and robust community support to help...
A new report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has laid bare a disturbing picture of road safety in Assam. In the past five years alone, the state witnessed over 36,800 accidents and the loss of more than 15,000 lives—a toll higher than in any other North-eastern state.
The year-wise data shows little sign of relief. In 2019, Assam recorded 8,350 mishaps with 3,208 deaths. Though the pandemic year 2020 saw fewer vehicles on the road, it still registered 6,595 crashes and 2,629 fatalities. The following years saw the numbers climb back, and by 2023, the state reached 7,421 accidents and 3,296 deaths, marking a 10% jump in fatalities compared to 2022.
Officials say...
Sarupathar, August 31: The agitation by Naga groups along the Assam-Nagaland border has seen a sharp increase, severely disrupting the lives of local Assamese residents. The escalating unrest has been marked by repeated claims over Assam’s land by Naga factions, including demands for shares of farmers' crops and intimidation of villagers in border areas such as Uriamghat's Raja Pukhuri No. 1 village. The Naga groups assert that the land belonged to their forefathers and call for recognition of their rights, demanding contracts and taxes from Assamese farmers cultivating the disputed land.
Following eviction drives by the Assam government to reclaim encroached lands, Naga activists have...
A fierce political confrontation unfolded at Rajiv Bhawan, the Congress headquarters in Guwahati, as a large group of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, workers, and supporters staged a provocative protest, allegedly targeting Congress leaders and their banners with violence. The incident marks a significant escalation in political tensions between Assam’s main rival parties ahead of the 2026 elections.
BJP agitators broke barricades set up by police and tore down Congress banners and posters displayed outside Rajiv Bhawan. The banners included images of key Congress figures such as state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi, opposition leader Debabrata Saikia, and Assam Pradesh Mahila...
Guwahati: The Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) has once again landed in controversy, this time over allegations of a newborn baby being swapped. The family of Priyanka Sharma, a woman from Dhupdhara in Goalpara district, has accused hospital staff of replacing their healthy baby with another infant.
According to the family, Priyanka was advised a cesarean delivery but ultimately gave birth through normal delivery. After the birth, the family claimed they saw the baby, who appeared healthy. However, soon after, neither the mother nor other relatives were allowed to see the newborn. When the family inquired, doctors assured them that the child was in good health.
Shock came...
Mizoram has reaffirmed its stand on the 1875 notification as the only legitimate boundary with Assam, rejecting the 1933 Survey of India map cited by Assam. Home Minister K. Sapdanga told the Assembly that the colonial-era demarcation, drawn after consultation with local chiefs, remains binding.
Talks between the two states have stretched across decades, with the last round held in Guwahati in April. The next meeting is to take place in Aizawl, though no date has been fixed. Mizoram has set up a study team to compile archival records to back its claim.
On the ground, tensions persist. In mid-August, Mizoram villagers accused Assam officials of damaging nearly 300 rubber plants in...
In a bid to ease tensions along the Assam–Arunachal boundary, senior officials from both states held a joint meeting at Narayanpur in Assam’s Lakhimpur district on Thursday, adopting a series of measures to improve coordination and maintain peace.
The meeting was attended by officials from Assam’s Lakhimpur and Biswanath districts and Arunachal’s Papum Pare district. Both sides agreed to stop all new construction and encroachment until the final demarcation of the interstate boundary is completed. To ensure smoother communication, the states will appoint nodal officers as official points of contact, while a dedicated WhatsApp group will be created to allow quick information-sharing among...
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