Assam’s Kokrajhar district on edge after mob lynching and arson; heavy security deployed

Tension gripped Karigaon in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on Tuesday (January 20) after a violent mob attack left one person dead, several injured, and large-scale arson in its wake, prompting authorities to deploy heavy security to prevent further escalation.

The violence erupted on Monday evening (January 19) at Gaurinagar in Karigaon, where a mob attacked a Scorpio vehicle following suspicion of cattle theft or a road accident. According to official sources, one person, identified as Sikhna Jwhwlao Bismit, also known as Raja, was beaten to death. Four others - Mahesh Murmu, Sunil Murmu, Jugiraj Brahma, and Prabhat Brahma - sustained serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital.

Situation spiralled out of control

Police said the situation spiralled out of control after local residents allegedly stopped the vehicle. Stone-pelting followed, forcing the Scorpio off the road and into a ditch. The occupants were dragged out and assaulted, resulting in the death of one person on the spot. The vehicle was later set ablaze.

Anger and grief spilled onto the streets on Tuesday as local residents and family members of the victims gheraoed the Karigaon police outpost and blocked National Highway 27, demanding justice and swift action. Traffic on the crucial highway was disrupted for several hours before security forces intervened to restore partial movement.

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Authorities said between 19 and 29 people have been detained so far in connection with the violence, with investigations ongoing. Security personnel are patrolling sensitive areas to maintain law and order and prevent further flare-ups.

Victims were construction workers

Local leaders condemned the incident, stressing the need for calm. Kokrajhar East MLA Lawrence Islary denounced the mob action, while officials clarified that the victims were reportedly workers engaged in a road construction project and had no links to illegal activities.

Providing a community perspective, Ashim Hasda, chairman of the Adivasi Welfare and Development Council, said the incident coincided with the final day of the Sohrai festival, a tribal harvest and cattle festival.

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“Around 7 pm, people returning from the festival saw a Scorpio coming from the opposite direction and signalled it to stop, suspecting cattle theft. The vehicle did not stop and reportedly ran over two boys, one of whom later died in hospital,” Hasda said.

He added that the subsequent assault and burning of the vehicle followed in the heat of the moment.

Escalation of violence

Hasda further alleged that the violence escalated on Tuesday morning when miscreants torched over 40 houses in Gauri Gaon and set several motorcycles on fire. Former AASAA president and Congress leader Stephen Lakra claimed that a designated camp of a ceasefire militant group was also set ablaze.

“We are closely monitoring the situation so that it does not turn into communal violence. We demand strict action by the police and district administration,” Lakra said.

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Lakra also pointed to a backdrop of repeated cattle theft incidents in the area over the past several months, saying Scorpio vehicles had often been used in such crimes, fuelling suspicion among locals.

The latest violence comes amid a sensitive socio-political climate in Kokrajhar. While the region has largely remained peaceful since the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord, memories of past ethnic clashes linger. Officials, however, emphasised that the current incident should not be viewed through a communal lens and appealed to all communities to maintain restraint.