Day after securing bail, Assam activist Pranab Doley detained under NSA

Just days after securing bail, Assam activist Pranab Doley stands accused under the National Security Act (NSA) for his role in protests against a luxury hotel project near Kaziranga National Park. The government's move to invoke extraordinary laws to silence dissent has sparked controversy. Doley, who led the protests for weeks, was arrested on July 12 following a sit-in demonstration in the region.

He was granted bail a week later by a local court, with the judge noting that ecological preservation and indigenous survival should not be suppressed by criminal law. Despite his release, the Assam Government invoked the NSA a day after Doley's bail was granted, citing 13 police cases against him and allegations of foreign funding and trips.

The government accused him of involvement in road blockades, damage to public property, and inciting unlawful protests, as well as alleged offenses against women and public servants. However, the court found no evidence of deadly weapons or protesters attacking police or outraging women's modesty. The judge emphasized that treating activists as "external disruptive elements" would not address the deep-rooted concerns about environmental degradation.