Karbi Anglong : Fresh eyewitness accounts have emerged from violence-hit areas of Karbi Anglong district, where widespread arson and mob attacks on the night of December 22 left dozens of families homeless and claimed at least one life.

Local resident Sushil Malakar recounted scenes of fear and chaos as mobs allegedly targeted residential areas, forcing families to flee their homes with little more than the clothes they were wearing. Malakar, who said he had been living in the area for several years with his uncle and aunt, claimed there was no prior warning of any impending unrest. “We thought we were safe here,” he said.

According to Malakar, the violence began around 6 pm, shortly after darkness fell, when a mob started pelting stones at houses in the locality. He alleged that a person known to his family, who was part of the crowd, warned them to flee or face death.

“Fearing for our lives, we ran. We could not take anything with us,” Malakar said, adding that all their belongings were later reduced to ashes. He claimed that six to seven houses were burnt in his immediate neighbourhood, while over 50 houses were set ablaze across the wider area during the night.

Malakar also described a particularly disturbing incident in which an ailing boy was allegedly unable to escape during the chaos. “He was sick and could not run. They set the house on fire, and the boy was burned alive,” he alleged.

While security forces have since been deployed in large numbers, Malakar said fear continues to grip the affected residents. “Right now, we feel a little better because the police are all around. When the police leave, we feel scared again,” he said.

Emphasising the long-standing presence of the affected families, Malakar said many had lived in the area for generations. “We have been living here for years. My parents were born and brought up here,” he said, reflecting the deep sense of loss and insecurity left in the wake of the violence.

Security forces remain deployed across sensitive areas of Karbi Anglong as authorities continue investigations and work to restore normalcy in the district.