This is an archive article published on October 22, 2024
3 years ago, an eviction drive left 2 dead in Assam. Now, probe finds police should have exercised restraint, though govt took the right call
According to the Assam government’s data , 10,620 families have been evicted from government land since 2016, of which 5,854 had been evicted since May 20, 2022.
Three years after an eviction drive in Assam’s Darrang district turned violent, left two people dead and many wounded, an inquiry commission has found that while the eviction was justified, it was done at a short notice. The report also says that the police should have exercised restraint.
According to sources, the commission headed by retired Gauhati High Court judge BD Agarwal submitted its report to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Monday.
The commission was set up through a government notification on October 1, 2021 – days after an eviction drive to free up government land for the Assam government’s Gorukhuti agriculture project in Dholpur led to clashes between police and protestors. While policemen were among those wounded in the clashes on September 23, 2021, a 12-year-old was among the civilians killed.
Hours after the incident, the Assam CM announced an inquiry into the deaths. The findings have yet to be made public. However, the report found that the government had “every right to conduct evictions” in the area, a source said. The report also makes 16 key recommendations.
“It lays out that no one has the right to occupy public land, be it forest land, grazing land or tribal land since it is public property, everyone has equal right to it and occupying it denies others of their right to it… it also points to the criminality of the act of land grabbing,” said the source.
However, the report also finds that the notice period given to the residents was short and recommends that police exercise restraint, it has been learnt.
The eviction drive saw approximately 1,300 families, most of them Bengali Muslim, evicted from around 10,000 bighas of the land. Soon afterwards, work on the multi-crore Gorukhuti agriculture project began.
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According to the Assam government’s data , 10,620 families have been evicted from government land since 2016, of which 5,854 had been evicted since May 20, 2022. Four people had been killed in these evictions.
Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges.
Expertise and Experience
Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts.
Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities.
Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East.
Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for:
Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms.
Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More
