Guwahati: Less than 24 hours after senior Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge publicly criticised the Assam government over forest eviction drives and expressed support for families living on encroached land, a violent clash broke out in Goalpara’s Paikan Reserve Forest on the morning of July 16, where Bangladeshi-origin encroachers attacked police and forest officials during an eviction operation.
A routine forest eviction drive turned into a scene of chaos and bloodshed in Assam’s Goalpara district on Wednesday morning, when a mob of encroachers clashed with police and forest department personnel attempting to clear illegal settlements from the Paikan Reserve Forest. The encroachers pelted stones and attacked the eviction team with bamboo sticks and other sharp weapons. Police had to resort to fire and lathi charge to control the violent mob. As a result one person was dead and one critically injured. Several police personnel were also injured in the attack by encroachers.
Eviction drive was carried out in Paikan forest reserve on July 13 to clear 140 acres of encroached land in the reserve forest by Bangladeshi origin Muslims. The evicted people tried to reencroached the reserve forest by setting up markshift camps. On Wednesday, the administration went to clear the re-encroached area. But the encroachers tried to resist the eviction.
What began as a tense standoff quickly escalated into an open confrontation, as hundreds of encroachers including women began pelting stones, damaging vehicles and even attacking an excavator brought in for the eviction. Shocking videos captured from the scene show chaotic moments: men, women armed with sticks, stones raining down on officials, and forest staff scrambling to protect equipment and themselves.
Faced with an increasingly violent situation, the police reportedly opened fire in self-defence. One person, identified as Shakuar Hussain, was killed in the firing. Another, Kutubuddin Sheikh, sustained injuries and is being treated. Authorities said the firing was a last resort after repeated warnings and attempts at crowd control failed.
“We came under sudden, intense attack. Stones were flying from all directions. The firing was not intended to harm but to protect lives,” said a police officer who was part of the eviction squad.
Several personnel from both the police and the forest department were also injured in the attack. Medical teams were rushed in as the situation spiraled, and reinforcements were called to control the crowd.
Months of Tension
This eviction drive was not an overnight move. According to forest officials, notices had been issued weeks in advance, with repeated appeals made through loudspeakers and community meetings, urging illegal settlers to vacate the forest land voluntarily.
Despite the warnings, many families reportedly stayed put, demanding more time or legal rights to the land they’ve been occupying—some for decades.
The Paikan Reserve Forest, spread over 711 hectares, is a critical ecological zone that supports a diverse range of flora and fauna. Officials claim that over 140 hectares have been encroached upon, leading to severe deforestation and ecological degradation.
“We cannot afford to lose more of our forest cover. This eviction drive is part of a larger effort to protect Assam’s natural heritage,” said a forest official from the Krishnai range.
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