GUWAHATI: The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), a global organisation working for the rights of Indigenous peoples, has condemned the arrest of Indigenous human rights defender Pranab Doley by the Assam Police, alleging that the action may be linked to his campaign against the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded solar power project in Karbi Anglong.
Doley was arrested from Sundarpur in Guwahati on July 12 in connection with Bokakhat Police Station Case No. 108/2026, registered on June 29 over a protest against the proposed Assam Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC) Hyatt luxury hotel project at Ingle Pathar near Kaziranga National Park. He was taken to Golaghat and formally arrested at 3.30 am on July 13. Later the same day, the Bokakhat Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate remanded him to seven days of police custody.
In a statement, IWGIA alleged that Doley had been targeted following the withdrawal of the ADB's $434.25 million loan for the proposed 1,000 MW Solar Park in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) in May 2025. As convenor of the Karbi Anglong Solar Power Project Affected People's Rights Committee (KASPAPPC), Doley had led campaigns against the project, raising concerns over land diversion and alleging irregularities in assessments carried out by ADB consultants and government officials.
The organisation said Doley's arrest, coming soon after he led public protests, suggested that he was being targeted for his human rights advocacy and for representing the concerns of affected Indigenous communities.
IWGIA also noted that Doley has been at the forefront of protests against the proposed Hyatt luxury hotel project at Ingle Pathar, which protesters claim would displace Indigenous people and other local residents. It alleged that the criminal case against him was intended to suppress opposition to the project.
The organisation further pointed out that the legality of the eviction process linked to the hotel project is currently under consideration before the Gauhati High Court. On June 1, the court heard a petition filed by 20 Adivasi families, some of whom work as daily wage labourers in nearby tea gardens, and issued notices to the ATDC, directing it to file its response within four weeks.
Describing the seven-day police custody as disproportionate, IWGIA called on the Assam government to release Pranab Doley immediately.