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Assam eviction drive violence: Nine people arrested, CM blames Rahul Gandhi
Police said the arrests were made based on video evidence, eyewitness accounts, and intelligence inputs gathered following the unrest on Thursday.
Assam Police on Friday arrested nine people in connection with the violent clashes that broke out during an extended eviction drive in the Paikan Reserve Forest area of Goalpara district on Thursday. The violence left one person dead and several injured.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday blamed Rahul Gandhi for stoking the violence and said the police are examining the speeches made by the Congress leader.
Goalpara senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nabaneet Mahanta confirmed the arrests and said the nine individuals were rounded up from multiple locations in and around Krishnai, where the reserve forest is located.
“Those arrested were actively involved in the violence — some were caught on video pelting stones and obstructing officials during the operation,” Mahanta said.
Police said the arrests were made based on video evidence, eyewitness accounts, and intelligence inputs gathered following the unrest. “We are reviewing more footage and expect to make further arrests,” an official said.
The violence broke out on Thursday morning when hundreds of residents, allegedly illegal settlers, clashed with police and forest officials during a plantation programme following a multi-day eviction operation.
According to district administration officials, the crowd turned aggressive, allegedly attacking the joint team with stones and sticks, and attempted to damage government equipment.
In response, the police opened fire, killing a local, Shakuar Hussain, and injuring another, Kutubuddin Sheikh. At least 21 police and forest department personnel also sustained injuries, including head wounds and fractures, from stone pelting.
The Paikan Reserve Forest, spread over 711 hectares, has reportedly seen over 140 hectares of forest land encroached upon over the years. Despite appeals to vacate, officials said many families continued to stay until the latest round of evictions was carried out earlier this week.
Authorities said Thursday’s plantation drive was meant to restore forest cover on the reclaimed land, but was met with resistance from sections of the evicted population.
Following the violence, security was ramped up in Krishnai and surrounding areas. Senior officials visited the site, and curfew-like restrictions were temporarily imposed in some pockets to maintain law and order.
The administration maintains that the eviction was carried out following legal procedures and court directives, but civil society groups and opposition leaders have demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, alleging excessive use of force and lack of rehabilitation measures.
Defending the police action, Sarma said the officials were bound to fire bullets in self-defence. He said this was not a spontaneous outrage, but a planned attack backed by Congress leaders.
“As per our information, some Congress leaders visited the area on Wednesday night and they planned the attack on government officials. We are investigating the matter further,” the CM said on Thursday evening.
Blaming Gandhi for allegedly inciting settlers during his recent Assam visit, Sarma added, “We have asked the police to examine the speeches made by Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. If their speeches were provocative, our police will take legal action against them.”
Police said those arrested could face charges of rioting, attempt to murder, and causing obstruction to public servants from discharging their duty.
“We picked them up on Thursday, and after initial investigations, they were arrested on Friday. Further investigation is ongoing, and we’ll produce the arrested individuals before the court,” the SSP said.
