By Abdur Rahman Aman
GUWAHATI: Over the past 30 days, the BJP-led government in Assam, under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has conducted targeted eviction drives in Goalpara, Dhubri, and Lakhimpur districts, displacing more than 4,000 Muslim families, affecting an estimated 20,000 to 24,000 individuals (based on an average household size of 5–6 members). These operations, aimed at clearing alleged encroachments, have demolished hundreds of concrete structures, including houses, schools, mosques, and madrassas and graves, Eidgahs, trees, and crops, causing significant distress to affected communities.
Evictions in Paikan Village
On July 12, 2025, the Goalpara district administration conducted an eviction drive in Bidyapara and Betbari of Paikan village, Krishnai Forest Range, Goalpara district, displacing approximately 1,100 Muslim families who had resided there for decades. The operation, intended to clear alleged encroachments on Paikan Reserve Forest land, reportedly violated an interim order issued by the Gauhati High Court on July 11, 2025. The court had directed authorities to provide temporary shelter, adequate food, and proper accommodation to petitioners until rehabilitation arrangements were finalized. The eviction left an estimated 5,500 to 6,600 people homeless, based on an average household size of 5–6 members. All individuals evicted from Paikan village, Krishnai Forest Range belong to the ‘Deshi’ Muslim community, recognized as one of the indigenous communities of the state. The drives cleared 1038 bighas of land to facilitate bamboo plantation.
Deployed excessive forces
Eviction drives were conducted with excessive force, deploying over 1,000 police personnel and numerous armed forest guards, equipped with heavy arms and ammunition. The area was heavily secured with tight barricades. Over 50 excavators were used to demolish houses, other structures, and infrastructure, including water project facilities and permanent latrines. Residents were terrified, with women and children visibly distressed, as the scene resembled a battlefield.
Fatality During Eviction
During the eviction drive in Paikan village on July 12, 2025, Anaruddin, an elderly man aged over 60, died of a heart attack when the district administration bulldozed his home. A person, distressed by the eviction, reportedly attempted suicide but was saved by a family member and rushed to the hospital. The incidents triggered significant tension in the district, with the administration allegedly restricting people from attending the ‘janazah’ (funeral prayer) of the deceased to be held at Eidgah. Moreover, on July 11, 2025, the day before the Paikan eviction, the administration reportedly prevented locals from performing Friday prayers.
This story was originally published in indiatomorrow.net. Read the full story here.
