Guwahati: At least 10 individuals have been arrested in connection with an attack on police and forest department personnel during an eviction drive in the Assam’s Paikan reserve forest area of Goalpara district on Thursday morning.
According to police, the clash left four civilians and 21 security personnel injured. A 19-year-old civilian died of bullet injuries, while three others are undergoing treatment for gunshot wounds.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“We have so far arrested 10 individuals involved in the attack on duty personnel,” a police official said. Security in the affected area has been tightened, and public entry has been restricted.
The eviction drive, conducted on July 12, aimed to clear approximately 1,038 bighas of reserve forest land. Officials said around 1,080 families were residing in the area prior to the eviction. Tensions reportedly escalated after security personnel dug up a road to prevent movement to and from the area, leading to resistance from a section of the evicted individuals.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma alleged that a group of Congress members had incited the violence. He stated that the attack on police and forest personnel was pre-planned and carried out with stones, sticks, and sharp weapons.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“We have registered a case, and action will be taken against those directly or indirectly involved. If necessary, we will summon Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge for questioning,” Sarma said on Thursday evening.
The Chief Minister defended the police’s use of firearms, stating that the personnel had no choice in the situation. He also reiterated the government’s commitment to continue with eviction drives, including a proposed operation in Uriamghat, Golaghat district, where forest land has allegedly been encroached for agricultural use.
Following a state cabinet meeting on Friday, Sarma reaffirmed the government’s stand on clearing encroachments. Meanwhile, BJP state spokesperson Kishor Upadhyay criticized opposition leaders Akhil Gogoi (Raijor Dal) and Lurinjyoti Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad) for objecting to the government’s eviction measures.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge had been in Guwahati on Wednesday to attend a party rally in Chaygaon, during which the issue of eviction was raised.