Army Deployed in Assam’s Kokrajhar After Mob Violence Kills Two; Security Tightened

The Army has been deployed in sensitive areas of Assam’s Kokrajhar district after two people were killed in mob violence that triggered arson and clashes, allegedly between members of the Bodo and Adivasi communities, officials said on Wednesday.

Army personnel conducted joint patrols with the district administration in violence-hit Karigaon and nearby areas on Tuesday night, a defence spokesperson told PTI. A flag march is scheduled for Wednesday as part of confidence-building measures. Four Army columns have been deployed in the district, the spokesperson said.

Officials said the overall situation is under control, with tight security arrangements in place across Kokrajhar and neighbouring Chirang district. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said the Army was on standby, while the Rapid Action Force had already been deployed following the unrest.

The violence was sparked on Monday night when a vehicle carrying three Bodo men allegedly hit two Adivasi persons on Mansingh Road under the Karigaon outpost, according to a home department official. The three occupants were reportedly assaulted by local Adivasi villagers, and the vehicle was set on fire. One person died on the spot, while another succumbed to injuries on Tuesday. Three others remain hospitalised.

Tensions escalated on Tuesday as members of both communities blocked a national highway near the Karigaon outpost, burned tyres, torched a government office and attacked the local police outpost. Police resorted to baton charges and fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Several people, including police personnel, were injured.

The district administration has set up two relief camps—at Karigaon High School and Gwajanpuri Amanpara High School—after residents fled their homes fearing further violence.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed across Kokrajhar district under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. Internet and mobile data services have also been suspended in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts as a precautionary measure, officials said.