Assam Authorities Invoke NSA for Indigenous Activist Pranab Doley
Legal Action Taken Amid Ongoing Hotel Project Protests
Indiadailyupdate.com – The Assam administration has utilized the National Security Act to detain land rights advocate Pranab Doley. This legal measure follows his arrest on July 12, which occurred during demonstrations opposing a high-end hospitality development within the Kaziranga region. Officials maintain that his actions threaten both public stability and state security.
Following a seven-day period in police custody, Doley appeared before the Bokakhat Magistrate Court on July 20 under substantial security arrangements. The court subsequently refused his bail request, ordering him to remain in judicial custody. The case also resulted in the detention of four additional individuals: Amit Nag, Bijit Kutum, Bhaskar Saikia, and Rajib Pegu.
The government has considered the nature, gravity, frequency and potential consequences of the activities attributed to the detenue and is satisfied that there is a real and imminent possibility of the detenue continuing to indulge in activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order and security of the State, if he is not prevented from doing so.
The NSA permits authorities to hold individuals without formal charges or trials when preventing anticipated harmful actions. Under this legislation, detention can extend up to one year. The official order was issued while Doley remained in the district jail, based on documentation from SSP Golahat.
Community Resistance and Government Position
Local residents continue to oppose the Hyatt luxury hotel development situated at Inglay Pathar, adjacent to Kaziranga National Park. Approximately 45 Adivasi families assert ownership over the agricultural territory, which they claim has been cultivated across generations. These communities have demanded the release of detained activists.
On July 15, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly supported the hospitality initiative. He argued that the project would strengthen regional tourism and generate job opportunities. However, local populations remain skeptical of these benefits.
According to the First Information Report filed against Doley, he and roughly fifty companions entered the construction zone through coordinated action. Police allegations indicate the group carried weapons including machetes and pointed sticks. Additional charges include assaulting law enforcement officers, encouraging the crowd, and threatening continued demonstrations.
Doley has consistently opposed the proposed hotel since 2022, emphasizing concerns about ecological damage to the sensitive region. Indigenous communities from Golaghat district have also voiced grievances, claiming the land was taken from them through forceful acquisition.
