2 min readGuwahatiAug 1, 2026 05:29 AM IST
A day after a local court granted bail to land rights activist Pranab Doley, who was arrested on July 12 in connection with protests against a proposed luxury hotel project in Kaziranga, the Assam government invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against him, stating that his activities “are prejudicial to the maintenance of public order as well as security of the state”.
Doley is a prominent indigenous and land rights activist who was arrested by the Golaghat police in connection with June 28 protest against a proposed luxury hotel project in Inglay Pathar, adjoining the Kaziranga National Park. Four other activists were also arrested in connection with this. Doley has been leading protests for years, raising concerns about potential ecological impact of the project and displacement of indigenous villagers.
In its FIR, police alleged Doley and “about fifty other persons” “trespassed” to the project site “with pre-planned manner, being armed with deadly weapons like machete, sharp sticks, etc”, assaulted police personnel, “instigated the crowd” and “threatened” further agitation, among other allegations.
In a July 29 order granting bail to Doley, an Additional Sessions Judge in Golaghat observed that there is prima facie absence of footage demonstrating these allegations and no “deadly weapon” was seized during investigation.
While Doley was still in the district jail, the state government issued an order for his preventive detention under the NSA, citing a report by the SSP of Golaghat.
The order states that 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.”