AT Photo: Sonapur Eviction clash
Guwahati, Sept 13: Visiting the eviction in Sonapur after the sporadic incident, Director General of Police (DGP), Assam, GP Singh on Friday informed that an investigation has been launched to probe suspicions of conspiracy behind the violence that broke out on September 12.
The DGP ordered an inquiry into how the violence broke out on Thursday, as the eviction drive, which began on September 9, was going on peacefully in the first phase.
While visiting the site, Singh expressed doubts of some vicious circle involved in instigating the evicted people with a conspiracy.
Speaking on the eviction drive, the top cop said, “For the last two months, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had been speaking about Bangladeshi nationals trying to cross the border to enter Assam. We suspected that something like this was going in Sonapur’s Kosutoli. We have brought this to the notice of the chief minister. After that the Chief Minister ordered to carry out the eviction drive here.”
Singh pointed out that Sonapur was declared tribal belt in 1950 under the Assam Land Regulations of 1886. The people who are residing in the area and the ones trying to enter the area do not fall under the protected category.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Guwahati apprised this to our Police Commissioner and government. The government has directed that action be taken against the illegal residents as per the Assam Land Regulations of 2019. We informed the people living here about seven days ago regarding the eviction,” Singh informed.
The eviction drive was carried out as per rules last Monday and as of September 12, around 151 families on 248 acres of land have been freed from encroachment. There were around 300 houses in the area.
However, on the fourth day of the drive, a group launched an attack on the security personnel passing racial slurs on them. Around 22 personnel sustained injuries in the attack.
Singh stated that the police personnel had to use force to control the situation in which several people were injured among whom two died. The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, G P Singh has ordered an inquiry against such organised attacks on the police. Police Commissioner Diganta Barah has been directed to investigate how the peaceful eviction drive suddenly turned violent, who is behind it or the reason.
A case has been registered in this connection and several people have been detained.
Following the violent clash, 11 of the injured people, including three police personnel and eight general public, were transported to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital(GMCH) for advanced treatment.
GMCH Superintendent Dr. Abhijit Sarma informed that one Tafiz Ali is in critical condition while most of the injured are in stable condition.
On Thursday, a violent clash erupted between police and residents of Sonapur’s Kosutoli during an eviction drive, resulting in the deaths of two individuals.
The deceased were identified as Haider Ali and Juwahid Ali, who reportedly succumbed to injuries from police firing at Sonapur District Hospital.
