Categories: India

Assam Launches Largest-Ever Eviction Drive In Uriamghat, Golaghat

Assam’s forest land is being cleared out by the government with a major eviction drive using police and machines. Thousands of illegal houses are being removed to protect forests, but such actions have also led to clashes in the past, showing how tough and emotional land issues can be.

Published by Nibir Deka
Last updated: July 29, 2025 11:53:11 IST

The Golaghat district administration on Monday launched Assam’s largest-ever eviction drive in the Rengma forest area located along the Assam-Nagaland border in Uriamghat.

For the operation, over 2,000 Assam Police personnel and around 500 forest guards have been deployed in the area. More than 100 excavators and Pokland machines have been kept ready for the drive.

According to officials, the administration will demolish a total of 2,648 illegal houses constructed in 12 suspected villages within the Rengma forest area. The eviction drive will cover localities such as Sonaribil Top, 2 No. Pithaghat, 2 No. Dayalpur, 3 No. Dayalpur, Dalanpathar, Kherbari, Vidyapur, Vidyapur Bazaar, 2 No. Madhupur, Anandpur, Rajapukhuri and Gelajan.

Security convoys have arrived in Sarupathar from various districts, while heavy machinery has been brought in from Golaghat, Merapani, Sivasagar and Tinsukia. Senior officials, including Additional Superintendents of Police, Deputy Superintendents, and Assistant Commissioners from several districts, are monitoring the operation on the ground.

As per the administration’s plan, the eviction drive began on Monday morning from the Vidyapur area.

Assam CM has stated that more than 1200 hectares of land size of Chandigarh has been cleared. As per data accessed by TSG, 12,0003 hectares of area of land illegal encroached has been cleared by the Assam government. Earlier, at least one person was killed and another critically injured after violent clashes erupted between alleged settlers and security forces during an eviction drive in Assam’s Goalpara district. Several police personnel were also injured in the confrontation, which took place in and around the Paikan Reserve Forest area.

The incident occurred during an operation to clear illegal encroachments from nearly 140 hectares of forest land within the Paikan Reserve Forest, which spans a total of 711 hectares. According to officials, settlers armed with sticks and stones attacked the eviction team, prompting police to retaliate.

ALSO READ – Parliament Monsoon Session Day 7 LIVE: Lok Sabha Resumes With Congratulating Divya Deshmukh