Assam activist leading protests against Kaziranga luxury hotels detained
Assam activist Pranab Doley has been detained by police following his protests against the construction of luxury hotels near Kaziranga National Park. Supporters and opposition leaders have criticized the move as an attempt to suppress democratic dissent.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing tensions between environmental activism, local land rights, and government development projects in protected areas.
The Assam Police on Sunday (July 12, 2026) detained activist Pranab Doley, who has been leading protests against proposed luxury hotels near the Kaziranga National Park.
Booked under at least 15 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita registered at the Bokakhat police station, he was taken to Guwahati’s Dispur police station for interrogation. The Kaziranga National Park is administered from Bokakhat, about 240 km east of Guwahati.
“He will be handed over to the Bokakhat police for further legal proceedings,” a police officer said.
Mr. Doley, a resident of a village near Bokakhat, said he was “arrested” without any papers. “We cannot even be the voice of the people. What kind of democracy is this?” he said before he was forced into a police vehicle.
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