An eviction drive conducted by the administration in Darrang district in Assam turned violent after the illegal encroachers of the land attacked the security forces. While 9 policemen were injured in the attack by the mob of illegal encroachers, 2 attackers were killed in retaliatory police firing.
The incident took place at the Dholpur in the Garukhuti area near the Sipajhar town in Darrang district in Assam, where the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is conducting an eviction drive of illegal settlers on land belonging to the government or other organisations like temples. When the eviction party reached the place inhabited Bengali speaking Muslims on Thursday, thousands of people clashed with the police, attacking them with stones, machetes, pointed bamboo sticks etc.
As the mob could not be dispersed even by using tear gas shells, and several policemen were injured in the attack, the police opened fire on the attackers. According to SP Sushanta Biswa Sarma, the condition of one policeman is critical.
Today’s eviction drive was conducted at Dholpur Bazar area, West Chuba, Dholpur no 1 and Dholpur 3 under the Sipajhar revenue circle. While the drive was going on smoothly in the morning, the drive faced strong protests in Dholpur No 1 and Dholpur 3, and cops were attacked there.
According to the administration, the people living in the area were served notices to vacate the encroached land well in advance, and when they didn’t comply with the notices, the eviction drive was conducted.
Sources in the Assam government said that Dholpur is an area with 25000 acres of land along with a 5,000 years old Shiva temple and a cave. This area is facing encroachment and gradually more people are coming and settling there. . According to the govt, around 30,000 acres of land have been encroached upon by Bangladeshi immigrants. As a result, indigenous people are completely devastated. This has also led to an increase in incidents of robbery and dacoity in the area, and the locals blame the encroachers for the same.
Given this situation, the state govt has taken up the eviction initiative after discussions with local Muslims. They were promised alternate land as per land policy, and they had agreed to the same. The govt said that the eviction drive in the last two days was peaceful, but today 10,000 people attacked police and in retaliation police was forced to fire, causing the death of two people.
According to the govt sources, over 10,000 people who attacked police during the eviction drive were Muslim immigrants.
The state government has ordered a judicial enquiry into the entire incident. State Govt is in touch with all Muslim organisations so that situation remains normal, and the Muslim leaders have assured full cooperation from their side. At present, the situation is under control. Govt says that indigenous people in Assam are happy with the eviction drive.
A video from the eviction drive has been widely condemned on social media, where a man with a camera in hand, who appears to be a photojournalist, was seen jumping on the body of a man shot by security forces. The disturbing video shows a local man chasing the photographer with a machete in hand. The photographer runs towards the security forces to save his life, and the policemen shot at the man who was charging towards them. After the attacker drops to the ground, presumably dead, the photographer jumps on his body, before being taken away by the security forces.
This incident is also being probed by the police, and the cameraman has been arrested by the police.
Earlier on Monday, the administration had evicted around 800 families, clearing about 4500 bighas of encroached land in the same reigon.
