Guwahati: An eviction drive carried out by the Lakhimpur district administration on Thursday affected around 220 families, as authorities moved to reclaim approximately 235 bighas (about 78 acres) of allegedly encroached land.
Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner Pronab Jit Kakoty confirmed that the drive took place at four locations — Debera Doloni, Siringsuk, Dhakuakhonia, and Raang Chali — including three designated Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) areas.
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“The affected families were served notices on June 29 and asked to produce land ownership documents, which they failed to do. The eviction was conducted accordingly,” Kakoty said.
The operation was carried out under tight security, with nearly 400 personnel deployed and 21 bulldozers and excavators in use. Officials reported no disruptions during the drive.
Out of the 218 evicted families, 25 belong to indigenous communities, while the rest are Bengali-speaking Muslims. The government plans to rehabilitate the indigenous families by providing them with land at alternative locations.
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The area of Dhakuakhonia, one of the eviction sites, was previously in the spotlight after the discovery of three suspected cow skulls near a Namghar (prayer house) on June 18, which led to the arrest of seven individuals.
In a related crackdown following alleged incidents of throwing beef parts during Eid celebrations, police arrested around 80 people across the districts of Dhubri, Hojai, Goalpara, and Lakhimpur.