Guwahati, July 17: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, while reacting to the violence in the Paikan reserve forest in the Goalpara district, in which one civilian was killed in police firing, said that action would be taken against those who launched an attack on policemen.
It has been reported that a large group of people launched an attack on the security personnel when the district administration tried to carry out an eviction exercise in the Paikan Reserve Forest to free encroached land.
Sarma told reporters here, “If anybody attacked the security personnel, action will be taken against those people. As of now, our primary aim is to free the encroached land in the Paikan Reserve Forest area. “Earlier today, an eviction drive in the Paikan Reserve Forest under the Krishnai Range in Assam’s Goalpara District turned violent, leaving one person dead and another seriously injured. The incident occurred after police allegedly opened fire on a group of residents resisting the operation.”
The joint drive, carried out by the Assam Police and the Forest Department, aimed to clear over 140 hectares of encroached land within the 711-hectare Paikan Reserve Forest. The CM said, “Tensions flared when residents of Bidyapara and Betbari — two densely populated localities within the forest area — allegedly confronted the eviction team with stones and sticks. ”
According to officials, the violence began when a large crowd attempted to halt the eviction process by attacking police personnel and damaging an excavator. In response, police reportedly fired upon the mob, claiming the move was in self-defence. “One person, identified as Shakuar Hussain, was killed in the clash, while another, Kutubuddin Sheikh, sustained serious injuries. There are also unconfirmed reports of injuries among police personnel.”
Some social media handles posted dramatic visuals showing chaos at the site — angry crowds chasing the eviction team, pelting stones, and vandalising equipment, he said and added that the police personnel can be seen retreating amid the unrest. “Authorities had earlier conducted several rounds of patrolling and issued public warnings urging settlers to vacate the forest land voluntarily. Despite the efforts, resistance remained strong on the ground,” CM Sarma said.
IANS