Massive Eviction Drive Clears Nearly 6,000 Bighas of Forest Land in Nagaon

Nagaon: In one of Assam's biggest eviction operations in recent years, the Nagaon district administration, in coordination with the Forest Department, launched a large-scale drive to clear almost 6,000 bighas of encroached forest land in the Lutumari Reserve of Kampur–Kachua. The move came after a Gauhati High Court directive issued on August 18, 2025, ordering the clearance of 5,962 bighas of illegally occupied forest land.

According to District Commissioner Devashish Sharma, IAS, the targeted land includes 1,548 bighas in Lutumari and the rest spread across Kandapara, Chankhula, Majgaon, Kadomoni, Bedari Par, Juri Par, and Nim Bagan. Ahead of the eviction, over 70% of the nearly 1,500 families living in the area voluntarily dismantled their homes and vacated the land.

DC Sharma stated, “The cooperation from the people has been remarkable. The eviction is progressing peacefully, and we expect to finish by tomorrow.”

The administration used about 50 excavators and over 1,000 security personnel to clear the rest of the encroachments. The drive, which started early Saturday morning, is likely to continue on Sunday, as massive betel nut plantations and homestead structures need to be removed.

During the operation, police stumbled upon a disturbing fraud racket. Two people, Abdul Awal and Yusuf Ali, were arrested for allegedly collecting money from residents with forged High Court documents. Their arrest and interrogation are confirmed by SSP Swapnaneel Deka.

Though peaceful, the eviction has left hundreds of families devastated, with no alternative land or rehabilitation plan in sight. Many residents broke down and pleaded for government support. The operation highlights the difficult balance between conserving forest land and addressing the humanitarian concerns of the displaced.

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