Assam Begins Massive Eviction Operation: Heavy Police Presence as 2,000 Families Impacted

Assam Begins Major Eviction Drive in Golaghat’s Rengma Reserve Forest; 2,000 Families to Be Displaced in Phase 1

On Tuesday morning, the Assam government initiated one of its most high-profile and large-scale eviction drives to date, targeting alleged encroachments in the Rengma Reserve Forest, located in the Uriamghat area of Eastern Assam’s Golaghat district.

Over 1,000 police personnel, including paramilitary forces, have been deployed to maintain law and order during the operation. The eviction is being carried out in two phases, with Phase 1 expected to affect approximately 2,000 families residing in the forested area.

Authorities estimate that the overall drive will clear encroachments from around 15,000 bighas (approx. 4,900 acres) of reserve forest land, where about 2,700 families, mostly Bengali-origin Muslims, have been living for decades. Phase 2 is likely to target the remaining families in the coming days.

Government officials claim that the land falls under protected forest territory and has been illegally occupied. According to Golaghat district administration sources, the eviction notices had been served well in advance and drone surveillance, along with logistical preparations, were made to ensure the smooth execution of the operation.

This eviction is part of a broader state-wide campaign by the Assam government to clear encroachments from government and forest lands. Similar drives in recent years have triggered significant controversy, legal challenges, and public debates, especially over the displacement of marginalized communities.

No major incidents of violence were reported in the initial hours of the drive, although several families were seen vacating their homes amid tight security.