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Massive eviction of 'illegal' encroachers in Assam amid tight security

Over 800 police personnel deployed in the area

Assam eviction Eviction drive against 'illegal' encroachers begins in Nagaon district, Assam on Monday

With an aim to clear out 'illegal' encroachments, the Assam government started its massive eviction drive in Batadrava in the Nagaon district amid tight security cover on Monday. 

According to reports, nearly 397 acres of land is to be cleared. Over 800 police personnel were deployed in the Hidubi area in Batadrava, near the birthplace of Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva. 

The eviction drive that began in the Santijan Bazaar area has been peaceful, said Leena Doley, Superintendent of Police, Nagaon. The eviction drive is being carried out in four villages to clear encroached government land, the SP said.

"After Santijan Bazaar we will clear land in Hidubi area and depending on the time taken there, we will take a decision on carrying out the drive in the remaining two villages", Doley was quoted by PTI. 

According to officials, the eviction drive to clear over 1,200 bighas of alleged encroached land will take place over the next few days.  

Heavy security arrangements have been made in the area and the police force, headed by senior officers, is camping here since December 13 with flag marches held here since then, said Doley. 

"As per our report, there were 302 structures on the government land and as of now, there are 72 structures in the area. We have received full cooperation from the locals. Now the eviction drive is going on peacefully. We hope to be able to free the 1,000 bigha of land," Doley was quoted by ANI. 

More than 80 per cent of the people have left their houses, shops and other structures and moved out. Eviction notices were issued to around 1,000 alleged encroacher families in October, claimed the officials, reported PTI. 

Earlier, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had told the assembly that a total of 4,449 families have been evicted across the state for alleged encroachment since May last year. 

In the last assembly election, clearing of encroachments, especially those of sattra land was one of the major poll issues. 

It is the second major eviction drive after the one in Dhalpur area of Darrang district that led to violence, resulting in the death of two persons and over 20 injured in September last year. 

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