Guwahati, Apr 18: Police have arrested 15 individuals in Assam’s Chirang district in connection with a violent protest that erupted over the detention of 25 Adivasi persons for alleged forest encroachment.

The violence broke out on Friday morning near the Runikhata Forest Range along the India–Bhutan border after a large number of locals gathered outside the range office, demanding the release of those detained.

According to forest officials, the individuals had been picked up a day earlier during an operation against alleged encroachment on forest land.

Protesters alleged that the detainees, including women, were harassed in custody by forest officials. In anger, they torched several vehicles belonging to the range office.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Chirang, Dhruba Bora said that more than 15 police and forest personnel, including himself, were injured in stone pelting during the protest. He added that police resorted to a lathi charge and blank firing to bring the situation under control.

Bora said on Saturday that the arrests were made after identifying those involved through digital evidence collected from the site.

“The operation was launched after we identified the accused with the help of digital evidence, including videos, pictures, and news clips. So far, 15 people have been arrested,” he said, adding that further arrests are likely.

He said a case was registered on Friday based on a complaint filed by the Forest Department, and the accused have been booked under 11 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

“They have been charged with offences including attempt to murder, dacoity, snatching of arms from the forest office, unlawful assembly, rioting, damage to public property, and assault on government personnel, among others,” he said.

The protest was led by local groups, including the All Adivasi Students’ Association (AASAA) and the All Santal Students’ Union (ASSU). The organisations alleged that the Forest Department was selectively targeting Adivasi residents while ignoring similar activities by other communities in the area.

They also accused officials of harassing those detained—claims that police denied, maintaining that force was used only after the crowd turned violent.

Police said the protest, which began peacefully, escalated following rumours of custodial assault, adding that action would be taken against those spreading misinformation.

According to police, demonstrators attacked on-duty personnel, torched the forest office and vehicles, and resorted to stone pelting, leaving several officials, including senior officers, injured.
While police said they used force to restore order, protesters claimed that several locals, including women, were injured during the crackdown.

The SSP said the situation is now under control, with additional forces deployed in the district. Following the violence, the Assam government suspended mobile internet services in Chirang and Kokrajhar on Friday, and the restrictions remained in place on Saturday.

He added that protesters had initially snatched some service rifles from forest officials, but these were later recovered.