Stones fly, lathis swing as Dhubri eviction turns violent; police resort to force
Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, who was present at one of the eviction sites, was detained
Dhubri, July 8: An eviction drive to clear 3,000 bighas of land in three revenue villages in Assam’s Dhubri district turned violent on Tuesday, after evictees clashed with police and officials in the Chapor area.
The drive, which began early morning in Charuwa Bakra, Chirakuta, and Santoshpur villages, aimed to remove alleged encroachments for a proposed thermal power project by the Adani Group.
As excavators and backhoe machines rolled in, hundreds of locals came out in protest—many armed with stones, bamboo sticks, and iron rods.
Tensions escalated quickly as protestors allegedly attacked security personnel and damaged at least three excavators.
According to reports, a mosque located in Santoshpur was also demolished during the drive, sparking widespread protests and road blockades by local residents.
Security personnel at the site of a demolished mosque in Dhubri. (AT Photo)
The situation at the eviction site turned tense, necessitating prompt intervention by law enforcement.
Police, led by Dhubri Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Leena Doley, resorted to a lathi charge to bring the situation under control.
According to officials, the land being cleared has been allotted to the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) for onward handover to the Adani Group. Of the total 3,500 bighas sanctioned, around 3,000 bighas are currently occupied by an estimated 1,200 to 1,400 families.
A visibly distressed woman evictee told The Assam Tribune: “Why is the government doing this to us? Are we not human beings? We live here in harmony—Hindus and Muslims together. The Chief Minister is trying to divide us. We were up all night fearing our homes would be destroyed.”
Another evictee accused the BJP-led government of worsening the plight of the poor: “The Congress never did this. The BJP has only brought misery. Where will the poor go? We have no food, no shelter.”
Locals highlighted that they have nowhere to go given they have no means to live or sustain (AT Photo)
In a parallel development, Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi, who was present at one of the eviction sites, was detained by the police.
Initially, the administration had barred him from entering the site. Complying with police requests, Gogoi stayed at a distance and interacted peacefully with locals.
He advised the displaced residents not to resort to violence and assured them he would urge the Chief Minister to allot 500 bighas of land to them.
Following the Superintendent of Police's request, Gogoi left the area. However, half an hour later, unrest erupted at the site, after which the police detained him.
Before being taken into custody, Akhil Gogoi told the press that the eviction drive is illegal and unconstitutional.
“The matter is sub judice in the Gauhati High Court, which has already issued three stay orders. Yet, the Himanta Biswa Sarma government continues the drive unlawfully. This is nothing but bullying and hostility towards minorities,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, a senior district official confirmed to a national newswire that 300 bighas at Baizar Alga in the Athani circle had been earmarked for temporary rehabilitation of affected families.
“We’ve also sanctioned Rs 50,000 each to the evictees, and many have already received the amount before voluntarily vacating their land,” the official added.
The administration also clarified that families holding permanent land titles (pattas) in the three affected villages would be compensated through a formal land acquisition process, in line with government norms.
- With inputs from PTI