Crowd protests Hazarika’s detention under NSA at Kaziranga park

A crowd of dozens gathered on the outskirts of Kaziranga National Park on Thursday, holding up placards and chanting slogans demanding the release of a local land‑rights activist who has been detained under the National Security Act. The protest, organised by members of the indigenous Mising and Bodo communities, was aimed at drawing attention to what they described as an “unlawful” use of a security law to silence a campaigner who has been vocal about illegal encroachment on community lands. The activist, identified as Ranjit Hazarika, has been held in police custody for more than three weeks without formal charge, according to statements from his legal team.Hazarika, a 38‑year‑old teacher and founder of the grassroots organisation Assam Land Guardians, was arrested in early August after a meeting was scheduled at the tribal rest house in the village of Rangapara..

The gathering was intended to discuss a recent surge in land acquisitions by private developers, a matter that has long been a flashpoint between tribal residents and the state. Protesters claim that the authorities locked the auditorium of the rest house after granting administrative clearance for the event, forcing the community to relocate to an adjacent open space where the demonstration later unfolded.The police, who arrived in the early hours of the day, said the detention was justified on the grounds of “potential threats to public order” and that the National Security Act was invoked after a senior officer received a tip‑off about a possible incitement to violence. A senior police spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of the intelligence, citing operational confidentiality, but affirmed that the law had been applied in accordance with established protocols..

Human rights observers, however, have repeatedly warned that the NSA is often deployed in cases that do not meet the stringent criteria for national security threats.Legal experts present at the protest warned that the use of the NSA in this context could set a troubling precedent. “The Act was drafted for exceptional circumstances such as terrorism or espionage,” said Priyanka Das, a senior counsel at the Assam Bar Association. “Applying it to a peaceful activist who is merely highlighting land disputes undermines the rule of law and threatens civil liberties.” Das added that the lack of a formal charge sheet and the absence of a judicial review within the mandated 30‑day period contravene both national statutes and international human‑rights norms.Representatives of the local administration said that the decision to lock the auditorium was taken after a sudden influx of attendees, which they feared could exceed the capacity of the venue and compromise safety..

They maintained that the shift to an adjacent open area was a temporary measure and that the authorities had offered to provide alternative accommodation for the meeting. The district collector, who was not present at the protest, later issued a statement asserting that “all procedural steps were followed” and that the detention of Mr Hazarika was “under the purview of the law and subject to judicial scrutiny.”The protest itself lasted for roughly four hours before police moved in to disperse the crowd, citing concerns over traffic congestion on the national highway that runs near the site. Several demonstrators were detained for “obstructing public order,” but none were charged with a criminal offence on the spot..

Among those taken into custody were two women activists, both of whom were released later that evening after being presented with bail documents. Human Rights Watch, which has documented a rise in the use of preventive detention across the country, issued a brief statement condemning the “pattern of arbitrary arrests” and calling for the immediate release of Hazarika.Community members expressed frustration that the incident had reignited a broader sense of marginalisation. “Our voices have been ignored for years,” said Lata Kisku, a tribal elder who has been involved in land‑rights advocacy since the early 2000s..

“When we try to speak up, the state shuts us down with heavy‑handed laws. This is not about security; it is about the right to our own land.” She added that the lockdown of the auditorium, an essential communal space, symbolised a systematic erosion of tribal autonomy.In the days following the protest, the Assam High Court received a petition filed by the Assam Land Guardians seeking the quashing of Hazarika’s detention and a review of the procedural steps taken by the police. The petition argues that the NSA was misapplied and that the activist’s fundamental rights to freedom of speech, assembly and movement have been violated..

The court has set a hearing date for next week, a development that has been welcomed by civil‑society groups across the state, who see it as a potential check on the expanding use of preventive detention.The incident arrives at a time when the central government is under increasing scrutiny for its approach to dissent. International watchdogs have flagged India’s record on civil liberties, noting a surge in the number of individuals detained under security legislation in the past two years. While officials argue that such measures are essential for maintaining order, critics contend that they are increasingly employed to stifle legitimate protest, especially among vulnerable communities.As the legal battle unfolds, the atmosphere in Rangapara remains tense..

Residents report a heightened police presence and intermittent roadblocks, measures they describe as “intimidating.” Yet the determination of the protesters appears undiminished. “We will not be silenced,” declared a young student activist, holding a banner that read “Land is life, not a commodity.” The call for Hazarika’s release continues to echo through the tea‑filled valleys surrounding Kaziranga, reflecting a broader struggle over land, identity and the limits of state power in contemporary India..