HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 29: A massive eviction drive was carried out on Saturday in Assam’s Nagaon district to clear encroachments from government and forest land in the Greater Lutumari Forest Reserve under the Kampur Revenue Circle, affecting around 1,700 families.
The operation, undertaken jointly by the district administration, police and forest department, covered roughly 795 hectares (around 5,962 bighas) of land and was conducted in line with a Gauhati High Court directive issued on August 18, 2025.
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The drive began in Lutimari area in the morning amid heavy deployment of security forces and continued till 4 pm, with officials confirming that eviction activities will resume on Sunday.
Notices had been issued three months ago asking occupants to vacate within two months; after seeking an additional month, most families began moving out voluntarily.
According to District Commissioner Debashish Sarma, nearly 70 per cent of the affected families left prior to the deadline, and over 1,100 families had already shifted with their belongings before the demolition teams arrived.
During the operation, approximately 2,070 kuccha houses and 192 pucca structures—including three mosques, seven Anganwadi centres, two lower primary schools, a primary health centre and three Jal Jeevan Mission water treatment units—were demolished with the help of nearly 50 excavators and thousands of security personnel stationed across four temporary camps.
The administration said the area had been encroached upon for decades, with some residents claiming they had lived there for over 40 years and were unaware the land fell within a reserved forest.
The eviction sparked emotional scenes as several affected families pleaded for shelter, saying they had nowhere to go. Officials said relief and rehabilitation measures would be extended to those in need. Meanwhile, two individuals, Abdul Awal and Yusuf Ali, were arrested for allegedly extorting money from residents by circulating fake legal documents purportedly issued by the High Court.
The Lutumari operation forms part of a broader anti-encroachment effort across Assam.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has earlier stated that more than 160 sq km of land have been cleared of encroachments since May 2021, with over 50,000 people evicted during this period.
The state resumed such drives from June 16 this year, affecting more than 5,000 families, many of whom belong to the Bengali-speaking Muslim migrant community who say their ancestors settled in these areas after losing land to erosion in the Brahmaputra’s char regions.
The administration said the current drive will continue until the entire encroached stretch at Bedetipar, Sankhula, Jurirpar and Kendapara villages is cleared, and reiterated its commitment to implementing the High Court order in totality.
