North Lakhimpur: The Lakhimpur Forest Department of Assam carried out an eviction drive on Sunday at Ranga Reserve Forest, located along the inter-state boundary with Arunachal Pradesh.
Authorities demolished a house that had been illegally constructed by an encroacher from Arunachal Pradesh on forest land inside Assam, and evicted its occupants. However, the eviction drive was met with violent resistance from the encroachers.
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According to Manoj Kumar Goswami, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO)–Territory, Lakhimpur, the eviction site at Denka Basti, off the Gabharu River in the Kachajuli Forest Beat of Ranga Reserve Forest under Harmutty Forest Range, had been geo-coordinated as part of Assam during a district-level survey on the inter-state boundary between Lakhimpur and Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh, in April this year. Despite this, an individual from Arunachal Pradesh later constructed a house at the site.
“The house was demolished by our department on August 16, but it was rebuilt afterward. Therefore, we had to carry out the eviction again, after informing the concerned revenue circle officer from Papum Pare, Arunachal Pradesh,” said DFO Goswami.
A large team comprising forest personnel, police, the Circle Officer from Bihpuria Revenue Circle, and the DFO of Lakhimpur participated in the eviction operation at Ranga Reserve Forest.
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The occupants of the house resisted the eviction violently, scuffling with the forest and police personnel for some time before being subdued. The encroacher, Tana Dadu, has been arrested by Lakhimpur Police.