Nalbari: In a sweeping eviction drive, the Nalbari district administration in Assam on June 30 cleared over 450 bighas of government land in Bakrikuchi village under Barkhetri revenue circle, as part of the Assam government’s larger campaign to reclaim illegally occupied land.
The eviction drive was carried out in Dag No. 106 of Uttar Barkhetri Mouza, where a total of 452 bighas, land was illegally occupied by Muslims for years. About 82 bighas were encroached by the illegal settlers and they constructed pakka houses and religious places in the area. 93 houses were demolished by the administration in the eviction drive.
Under a thick cloud of dust and tension, bulldozers rolled in early Monday morning, guarded by a strong contingent of security personnel. Police forces had been deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident during the sensitive operation.
Local residents watched in silence—some with eyes full of tears, others resigned to their fate—as roofs caved in and walls collapsed under the force of machines. For many, it was the end of a home they had built over the years, however informally.
Interestingly, a sizeable number of families had already vacated their homes voluntarily, anticipating the eviction. According to district officials, many had started shifting to nearby areas on Sunday, dismantling their belongings and sheltering with relatives or in temporary shanties.
One elderly woman, standing beside her broken wall, murmured with quiet dignity, “We knew this day would come. But it still hurts. This is where my children were born. It was never legal, but it was home.”
The evicted area also included a government primary school and a mosque, both of which had been functional within the encroached land.
Officials reiterated that the eviction was necessary and in accordance with state government policy aimed at reclaiming public land from illegal settlers. “The land had been encroached upon for years. This drive is part of a statewide initiative to restore government land for public use and future development,” said an officer involved in the operation.
This is not an isolated case. Similar eviction drives have taken place in various districts of Assam over recent months, as part of the state’s larger push to implement land reforms and free up space for infrastructure, agriculture, and community projects.
However, Muslim organisations including political parties like Congress are against the eviction drives in government land. Last week the Assam government cleared 1555 bighas of wetland from encroachment in Goalpara district removing 7000 of illegal Muslim settlers.
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