The Assam government has resumed its large-scale eviction drive in the Dahikata Reserve Forest area of Goalpara district, clearing what officials describe as illegal encroachments spread across more than 1,140 bighas (around 376 acres) of government land. The operation, which began on November 9, is expected to affect nearly 600 families, though officials said that about 70 percent of those served with notices have already vacated the area.
According to Goalpara Deputy Commissioner Prodip Timung, the eviction drive is being carried out peacefully with heavy security deployment and the use of excavators and other machinery. The forest area has been divided into five blocks to ensure systematic implementation. Officials also clarified that the operation is being conducted in compliance with a Gauhati High Court directive related to the encroachment issue.
Many of the families facing eviction are reported to be Bengali-speaking Muslims, a community that has been significantly impacted by previous eviction drives since 2021. While the state government maintains that the operation is part of its effort to reclaim encroached forest land, rights groups have raised concerns about potential communal bias and the humanitarian impact of such large-scale demolitions.
