In a significant crackdown on illegal land encroachments, authorities launched an extensive eviction operation on Tuesday morning in Uriamghat, located in Assam’s Golaghat district near the Nagaland border. The drive aims to reclaim nearly 11,000 bighas of forest land that have been allegedly encroached upon over the years.
The operation, one of the largest of its kind in recent years, involves the deployment of around 100 bulldozers to demolish structures constructed illegally within the forest reserve. The targeted land, according to officials, has been converted into betel nut plantations—part of a broader betel leaf trade network—impacting approximately 2,000 families.
To ensure law and order during the operation, the district administration has mobilized approximately 1,500 security personnel. The eviction has generated a surge of fear among local residents, especially Bengali-speaking Muslims, many of whom have reportedly fled the area fearing forced displacement. Some of these residents have sought shelter elsewhere in Assam.
The government asserts that those encroaching on the land include individuals from various regions, such as Muslim-majority areas of Assam like Nagaon, Morigaon, Sonitpur, Cachar, Dhubri, Barpeta, and Hojai, alongside migrants from West Bengal and Bihar.
This anti-encroachment drive follows comprehensive land surveys across 30 villages located within the reserve forest areas under the Sarupathar sub-division. District officials emphasize that the operation is part of a broader effort to combat large-scale, organized encroachment and strengthen forest conservation efforts in Upper Assam.
The initiative underscores the government’s focus on safeguarding forest land and addressing the issue of illegal land use that has persisted for years.