More than 1,100 families, predominantly Bengali-speaking Muslims, were evicted from reserve forest land across Nagaon, Hojai and Golaghat districts in Assam during a two-day operation that authorities said was aimed at enforcing a High Court order to clear encroachments.
Scope and sequence of the demolition drive
Officials and media reports said the clearance began on Saturday and continued into Sunday, October 18, with the largest single action at Lutumari Longjap Reserve Forest in Nagaon where around 500–600 households were affected on Sunday. The previous day, teams removed about 547 families from pockets across the three districts — 336 in Nagaon, 152 in Hojai and 59 in Golaghat.
Local residents said many moved belongings out before excavators reached compounds and there were no reports of violent clashes during the operation. Officials indicated the drives could continue in other identified areas, citing forest protection priorities and court directions.
Residents contest claim of encroachment
Those displaced disputed the official position that they had been living illegally on forest land. Several residents said their families had longstanding associations with the area under arrangements dating to the colonial period. One resident, identified as Abdul Noor, said his family had been granted land decades ago.
"allotted land in 1974"
People from the Lutumari area said elders had worked as labourers for the Forest Department and were settled under the taungya system, a cultivation scheme introduced during colonial times that involved planting and labour on forest margins.
Religious structures demolished, say residents
Residents in Lutumari alleged that more than 10 mosques, some reportedly decades old, were demolished during the operation. The claim could not be independently verified at the time of reporting; officials have not issued a public tally of structures taken down or clarified whether places of worship were intentionally targeted.
Legal background and court directions
The evictions follow a Gauhati High Court order issued in June that directed occupants of reserve forest land to vacate within 30 days, emphasising public interest in preserving forest areas over private residence claims. The court also instructed that electricity connections to the contested habitations be disconnected after the deadline. Affected families said they had sought relief in the court but did not obtain a stay of the eviction order.
Authorities maintain the operations are being conducted under legal mandate to restore and protect reserve forest tracts. Prior operations in the greater Lutumari area in November last year affected around 1,700 families, residents and reports said, indicating this is a continuation of a broader enforcement effort.
Local impact and humanitarian concerns
Displacement on this scale raises immediate questions about temporary shelter, rehabilitation and livelihood disruption. Many of the evicted families had occupied single-room dwellings or makeshift homes, and residents said a significant number may lack alternative land or resources nearby. There was no immediate information from district administrations in Nagaon, Hojai or Golaghat about provisions for relief, compensation or resettlement.
Community leaders and civil society groups in the region have in the past sought clarification from authorities on historical tenure and the terms under which families were settled in taungya or other forest-fringe schemes. The intersection of conservation policy, historic settlement practices and current land records remains a contentious aspect of such operations.
Data at a glance
| District | Families evicted |
|---|---|
| Nagaon | 336 + 500–600 (two phases) |
| Hojai | 152 |
| Golaghat | 59 |
| Total (reported) | 1,100+ |
What authorities say and next steps
State officials have framed the drive as enforcement of forest laws and court directions. Local administrations have not, at the time of reporting, released a comprehensive public statement detailing the number of religious structures affected, the fate of displaced families or timelines for any rehabilitation measures. Observers note that follow-up action on housing, welfare and legal aid will be critical to avoid an extended humanitarian fallout.
- Over 1,100 families evicted from reserve forest across three districts.
- Residents say more than 10 mosques were demolished; officials have not confirmed.
- Evictions were carried out after a Gauhati High Court order prioritising forest protection.
Continued reporting will monitor official responses from district administrations, any relief measures announced, and whether legal challenges or humanitarian interventions follow the clearances.
Reporting from Nagaon, Hojai and Golaghat by the correspondent.
