A major development unfolded in Karbi Anglong on Monday after youth leader and tribal rights activist Litsong Rongphar was arrested by Diphu police for his role in an ongoing campaign seeking eviction of non-Karbis from tribal lands.
Rongphar, who has emerged as a strong voice in the movement for protecting the land rights of indigenous communities, had been actively demanding that settlers from Bengali and Bihari backgrounds be removed from the VGR-BGR lands of the district. In recent weeks, he personally led groups to inspect land records in the Rongkut area of Howraghat, where he questioned the validity of pattas issued to non-tribal residents. His demand for cancellation of land rights to these communities intensified debates in the region.
The campaign, however, drew sharp opposition from the Bengali Youth Student Federation (BYSF). The organisation accused Rongphar of targeting the Bengali community and warned of unrest if eviction efforts went ahead. The group even staged public demonstrations, pressing the administration to act against what they called “selective harassment.”