After the Sakbari ceremony receiving the Mughal envoy, Laluk Rajmantri Phukan decided to take measures to realize his ambition of becoming the king of Assam. He was aware that even though he had been recognized as Raja of Assam or king of Assam by the Mughal Subedar of Bengal, it was difficult to declare himself king, as the orthodox section of the Ahom nobility and common people would always consider the descendants of King Sukaphaa the rightful heirs to the throne of Assam. He also knew that Lora Raja was a mere puppet whom he could remove at will, but the other princes of royal blood, all descended from King Sukaphaa, would always be an obstacle to fulfilling his goal of ascending the throne. Therefore, Laluk proposed before Lora Raja to mutilate the limbs of all the able-bodied princes belonging to the Royal Ahom dynasty. The Ahoms considered their king of divine origin and the person of the monarch sacred, and any noticeable sear or blemish, even a scratch received in play, a pit of smallpox, or a wound received in action, was a bar to succession. In support of his proposal Laluk argued that in the presence of this numerous body of princes, each of whom was a potential center for insurrection and a rallying point for miscreants and rebels, no Ahom king could sit on the throne safely. After obtaining consent from Lora Raja, Laluk instituted a vigorous search for the princes and dispatched emissaries to different quarters to scour the villages and princely establishments. Those whom Laluk's agents could lay their hands on were captured and either killed, or released after mutilation, thereby disqualifying them for succession. In order to escape from the hands of Laluk's agents, most of the princes left their homes, lived in disguise in the houses of their relatives and friends, wandered incognito in remote districts, or even crossed the borders of Assam.S. K. Bhuyan, Atan Buragohain and His Times, Lawyers book stall, 1957, page 186-187Hiteswar Barbaruah, Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms, 1981, page 218
