Fresh unrest erupted along the Assam-Meghalaya border on June 25, after a mob of over 400 villagers from Meghalaya’s West Jaiñtia Hills, backed by student unions and civil society groups, stormed a Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) plantation site in the disputed Block I area. The protesters dismantled wooden sheds, uprooted hundreds of red sandalwood saplings, and clashed with security forces, prompting Assam Police to fire tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Disputed Territory and Broken Agreements
The plantation, located on a hill in Lapangap village, is claimed by both Meghalaya’s West Jaiñtia Hills and Assam’s Karbi Anglong districts. Meghalaya officials accused KAAC of violating a 2023 status quo agreement by initiating the plantation without prior coordination.
“We had advised restraint as a peace meeting was scheduled, but the Assam side didn’t turn up,” said West Jaiñtia Hills DC Abhinav Kumar Singh.
In retaliation, Karbi locals allegedly set fire to two makeshift structures, escalating the confrontation.
Political and Civil Society Reactions
Leaders from the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and Jaiñtia Students’ Union (JSU) defended the protest, warning that “if the state cannot defend our land, we will”. They accused Assam of encroachment and breaching mutual understandings.
Meanwhile, Karbi Anglong officials maintained that the plantation was within Assam’s territory, and pledged to hold talks with Meghalaya to resolve the issue.
Security Measures and Next Steps
Authorities from both states have deployed police forces and border magistrates to monitor the situation. A village-level peace meeting is scheduled to prevent further escalation and reinforce the status quo until a final border resolution is reached.
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