A forest eviction drive ordered by the Assam government is set to begin on July 29 in the Disputed Area Belt (DAB), specifically within what Assam refers to as the Rengma Reserve Forest. The drive is being carried out under provisions of the Assam Forest Acts, officials confirmed.
According to reports, Assam government is set to launch a large-scale eviction drive in the Rengma Reserve Forest in Golaghat district from Tuesday, impacting over 10,000 bighas (approx. 3,300 acres) and affecting nearly 2,000 families.
Speaking to Nagaland Post, Border Magistrate of Uriamghat, Tsenthungo E. Ngullie, said that the eviction will be confined to forest areas and will not impact any recognized Naga settlements, including Tchuchanphen and Yanlum villages.
He further stated that no official eviction notices have been issued against these villages by the Assam authorities.
To prevent escalation and protect Naga residents and their properties, security forces from Nagaland have already been deployed in the interior parts of the DAB. Additional forces will be stationed during the eviction in coordination with CRPF and Assam Police to maintain law and order.
LSU, WVSU conduct ILP checks: In a related development, the Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) and Wokha Village Students’ Union (WVSU) jointly conducted a surprise inspection on July 27 in the DAB area amid heightened tensions and concerns over unauthorized entries.
During the drive, four individuals were found without valid ILP. Although the individuals possessed NRC documents from Assam, they had failed to secure ILPs.
The student unions clarified that no illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBIs) were found during the drive.
All four were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and legal action. LSU said the inspection was part of broader community-led efforts to ensure strict ILP enforcement and safeguard the demographic and territorial interests of the Naga people. It also announced that similar checks will continue in the coming days.
DC urges halt to new ILPs, gate passes
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Wokha Vineet Kumar has advised all relevant issuing authorities to temporarily suspend issuance of new ILPs and gate passes in the district. The directive is aimed at curbing unauthorized movement along the sensitive Assam-Nagaland border and strengthening monitoring mechanisms in the DAB.