Assam: Violence Erupts During Eviction Drive in Goalpara; One Dead, Several Injured
According to reports, a group of evicted settlers, primarily from the densely populated localities of Bidyapara and Betbari, resisted the operation.
GOALPARA- A government-led eviction drive in the Paikan Reserve Forest, under the Krishnai Range in Assam’s Goalpara district, turned deadly on Thursday, resulting in one fatality, multiple injuries, and heightened tensions in the region. The operation, aimed at clearing illegal encroachments from forest land, descended into chaos as clashes broke out between evicted settlers and security personnel, prompting police to open fire.
Clashes and Fatalities Tensions escalated on Thursday, July 17, when security forces reach to the Paikan Reserve Forest to cordon off a section of the cleared land and ensure compliance with the eviction orders. The incident has sparked widespread controversy, with political leaders weighing in and locals demanding justice.
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According to reports, a group of evicted settlers, primarily from the densely populated localities of Bidyapara and Betbari, resisted the operation. The confrontation turned violent as settlers allegedly attacked forest guards and police personnel with sticks, stones, and sharp weapons.
In response, police opened fire to disperse the crowd, resulting in the death of 22-year-old Shaquar Hussain, a local resident, and serious injuries to another individual, identified as Kutubuddin Sheikh. Several police officers and forest personnel were also injured, with at least ten policemen requiring treatment at Goalpara District Hospital.
The objective of the eviction was to curb human-elephant conflict and restore ecological balance in the Paikan Reserve Forest, which has been heavily encroached upon over decades. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, a vocal advocate of the state’s anti-encroachment campaign, emphasized the need to protect forest land and indigenous rights, stating on July 16, “Evictions will continue, safeguarding our forests and land rights of the indigenous people will continue, crackdown on illegal infiltrators will continue.
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The incident has ignited a political firestorm, with Chief Minister Sarma vowing strict action against those who attacked security personnel. “Action will be taken against those who launched an attack on policemen,” Sarma stated, emphasizing that the state’s priority remains clearing encroached land in the Paikan Reserve Forest.
Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Numal Momin went further, attributing the violence to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of encouraging encroachers. “This is a counter-product of Rahul Gandhi’s visit,” Momin claimed, referencing Gandhi’s recent engagements in Assam.
Opposition leaders, however, condemned the government’s handling of the eviction. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge labeled the demolitions in Goalpara and Dhubri a “state-sponsored pogrom,” alleging a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. Speaking at a rally in Chaygaon, Kharge promised that if Congress comes to power in Assam, it would rebuild the demolished homes and rehabilitate affected families.
