One Dead, Several Injured During Eviction Clash in Goalpara's Paikan Reserved Forest

Goalpara: The Krishnai range of Paikan Reserved Forest on Thursday, as an eviction drive turned violent, leaving one person dead and several others, including a police officer, injured. The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Shaquar Hussain, a resident. At least three other evictees and one police personnel sustained serious injuries during the clash. The violence reportedly broke out after evictees allegedly tried to damage excavators and pelted stones at the police and Forest Department officials.

Eyewitnesses claim that the situation escalated suddenly. “We had already left our homes when they asked us to. But we had nowhere to go and set up temporary sheds wherever we could. Then suddenly this morning we heard firing, and now my nephew is dead,” said a grieving family member of the deceased.

One critically injured youth was shifted to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for treatment. The eviction operation, which began on July 12, aims to clear nearly 140 bighas of forest land allegedly encroached by around 2,000 families. Thursday’s drive initially proceeded peacefully, but clashes erupted soon after resistance began from some evictees. To control the crowd, police fired shots in the air. Locals suspect Shaquar Hussain may have been hit by one of the bullets. However, Goalpara Deputy Commissioner Prodip Timung said police acted according to protocol after they were attacked. He also indicated that "outsiders" might have been involved in inciting the violence. “Not all those protesting were from the affected area,” he said, adding that multiple police personnel had been injured.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a stern statement following the incident. “Anyone attacking police personnel will face legal consequences. Once the eviction is over, we will begin afforestation work in the cleared forest land,” he said. Meanwhile, Opposition leader Akhil Gogoi, who visited the area during the first phase of the eviction on July 12, demanded a fair probe into Shaquar Hussain’s death and immediate rehabilitation for the evicted families. “These are not illegal immigrants. They are indigenous Assamese Muslims whose names are in the NRC,” he said.

The All Minority Students’ Union (AMSU) also staged protests at the site, demanding justice and the resignation of Divisional Forest Officer Jagadish Barman, accusing him of instigating the unrest. “We didn’t protest when they destroyed our permanent homes. But now they’ve come for our temporary shelters too. We begged for time, but they didn’t listen. We are left with nothing,” said an emotional evictee.

Security has been tightened in Paikan and nearby areas as the situation remains tense.