NORTH LAKHIMPUR, July 3: Around 220 families have been affected in an eviction drive, which was carried out in Lakhimpur district of Assam on Thursday to clear 235 bighas (almost 78 acres) of land from alleged encroachment, officials said.
Lakhimpur District Commissioner Pronab Jit Kakoty said the administration is carrying out the eviction drive at four locations, including three Village Grazing Reserve (VGR), since morning after following due protocol.
“We had served the families notices on June 29 and asked them to produce supporting documents for their occupied land. However, they failed to show any papers. Accordingly, we have executed the eviction drive,” he claimed.
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Amid a heavy posse of about 400 security personnel, the administration, equipped with 21 bulldozers and excavators, is carrying out the eviction drive at Debera Doloni, Siringsuk, Dhakuakhonia and Raang Chali.
“The total area to be covered under this drive will be around 235 bighas, where 218 families have occupied the land,” Kakoty said.
He said that the drive will be completed within the next few hours and there has been no disturbance while clearing the land.
Out of the 218 families, 25 belonged to indigenous communities and the rest are Bengali-speaking Muslims, another official said.
“The government has decided to allot land to the 25 local families at some other location,” he added.
On June 18, seven persons were arrested following the recovery of three suspected cow skulls, approximately 30 metres from a Namghar in Dhakuakhonia, where a part of the eviction drive took place.
For throwing suspected beef parts during the recent Eid festival and thereafter, police arrested around 80 people in Dhubri, Hojai, Goalpara and Lakhimpur districts. (PTI)
