Assam Government Launches Major Eviction Drive to Reclaim 11,000 Bighas of Encroached Land

Guwahati — The Assam government has initiated a large-scale eviction operation in Golaghat district to reclaim approximately 11,000 bighas of encroached land, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The eviction is taking place in the Rengma Reserve Forest near Uriamghat, which borders Nagaland. A massive security presence has been deployed in the area to support the operation, led by the Golaghat district administration.

Around 2,000 families, accused of illegally settling on forest land in the Sarupathar sub-division, are being removed as part of the drive. The encroached land had reportedly been turned into betel nut plantations, allegedly tied to a larger “betel mafia” network. The action follows extensive land surveys conducted across 30 villages in the region.

To enforce the eviction, authorities have deployed 700 to 800 personnel from the Assam Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Forest Department. Heavy machinery, including bulldozers and excavators, has also been brought in to assist.

Many of those being evicted are Bengali-speaking Muslims, a community frequently labeled as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Reports suggest that a large number of people have already fled the area, seeking refuge in other parts of the state.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that 70% of the identified encroachers have vacated the land voluntarily. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reclaiming both forest and government land.

According to government data, in the past four years, over 1.29 lakh bighas (approximately 42,500 acres) have been cleared of encroachments. However, nearly 29 lakh bighas (over 950,000 acres) of land across Assam remain illegally occupied.

The state government claims that many encroachers have migrated from Muslim-majority districts within Assam—such as Nagaon, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Cachar, Dhubri, Barpeta, and Hojai—as well as from West Bengal and Bihar.

As the situation unfolds, the Nagaland government has issued an advisory to its border districts, urging them to stay alert and prevent any influx of displaced families from Assam during the eviction process.

With inputs from IANS