Assam Government Evicts 1,100 Families to Reclaim Forest Land

The Government of Assam conducted a series of anti-encroachment eviction drives from October 17 to 18, 2026, across the Golaghat, Hojai, and Nagaon districts. The operations reclaimed more than 638 hectares of reserved forest land, including the Lutumari Longjap, Jamuna-Maudanga, and No. 2 Negheribil areas. The drives displaced between 1,000 and 1,100 families and resulted in the demolition of residential homes and more than 10 mosques, predominantly affecting Bengali-origin Muslims.

The operations followed a June ruling by the Gauhati High Court that prioritized forest conservation over private settlement claims. While the state government maintains the drives are necessary to restore ecological balance and recover government land, displaced residents and the All India Union of Forest Working People contest these claims. They assert that families were legally settled in 1974 under the colonial-era taungya system.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma characterized the administration's actions as the "'Rudra Roop'" falling upon illegal occupiers. He stated that the operation cleared over 638 hectares of land as the state works toward securing its interests. Reports indicate that approximately 19,000 families have been evicted under the current administration over the last decade.