More eviction drive at Assam-Nagaland border

Our Reporter/Correspondent
Dimapur/ Diphu, Jan. 30 (EMN): The third eviction drive along Assam-Nagaland border was carried out on Sunday by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) from Khan basti, Lahorijan Block-3 under Borjan Mouza. 

The eviction drive, which started from 7 am, witnessed resistance and protest from people living at the border.

When the eviction team, comprising police and paramilitary forces with 10 earthmovers, began demolishing the illegal structures and houses, a mob of protestors started pelting stones leading to injury of Raju Duwara, officer in-charge of Khatkhati Police Station, while the rear view glass of an earthmover was damaged.

Some journalists present at the site were also injured from the incident.

The eviction team, including Forest and Land and Revenue officials and staff, had to retreat while the police and paramilitary personnel immediately took action to control the situation.

Around 350 houses constructed illegally were demolished during the eviction drive, while some houses that had been issued a stay order from the Gauhati High Court were left intact.

Official sources said the next eviction drive will be carried out after a court hearing on February 2 in regard to those areas being left out.

Meanwhile, around 50 houses belonging to Naga land owners were destroyed during the eviction drive.

Village Panchayat Chairman of Balijan C, Khan Basti, Kuvhalu Aye informed Eastern Mirror that on January 29, officials from KAAC came to the village for marking houses that had petitioned in the High Court, and would not be evicted on Sunday morning.

Aye informed that houses that were mark were not destroyed, but the remaining houses that were built within the landowners’ compound were destroyed.

He informed that one Masjid and a prayer centre were also demolished during the eviction drive.

The chairman further informed that around 50 rented houses were destroyed that belonged to three Naga landowners, and even the RCC bridge that connected IV LRC colony and Balijan had been partially destroyed.

The eviction drive was carried out by the Land and Revenue department of KAAC and assisted by district administration, law and order authority, and Forest department. Police personnel, special commandos and CRPF personnel were also engaged for controlling any untoward incidents.

Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong, Dibakar Nath, and Superintendent of Police, Pushpraj Singh, were present to oversee the eviction process.

It may be mentioned that the authority of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council carried out its first and second eviction on December 20 and 24, 2021 at Dudu Colony in Lahorijan Block-3.