Dhubri: The Dhubri district administration on Sunday intensified its eviction drive at Alamganj Ninth Part village under the Gauripur revenue circle, reclaiming around 650 bighas of govt land and demolishing more than 550 houses.Inspector general of police (law and order) Akhilesh Kumar Singh visited the eviction site to review the situation. He said the operation was progressing peacefully and that there had been no reports of resistance.“I found people leaving the area with their dismantled materials. We are here to comply with the govt order and ensure its implementation without any hindrance or hassle,” Singh said.Dhubri deputy commissioner Dibakar Nath also said the eviction drive was being conducted peacefully, with security arrangements in place to maintain law and order.“The eviction process has been ongoing for quite some time. After examining the land and considering all aspects, notices were served on those allegedly encroaching on it, directing them to vacate within the stipulated time. So far, 80% of the people who had allegedly encroached on govt land have left the area, while the houses of the remaining occupants are being demolished,” Nath said.The large-scale eviction operation at Alamganj began early on Sunday amid tight security, with a substantial contingent of police personnel deployed across the area. Around 60 excavators were reportedly pressed into service, while barricades and temporary camps were set up to facilitate the operation.According to district administration sources, the first phase of the eviction drive was planned to cover approximately 650 bighas of govt land allegedly under encroachment and affect around 550 families.Sources further said nearly 100 of the families facing eviction belonged to the indigenous Deshi community and had reportedly been living on the land for generations without formal govt allotment.One of the alleged encroachers, Saikat Ali, was seen demolishing his house in Alamganj. He said, with a heavy heart, that he had purchased the land from a “land broker” about 14 years ago, but that the broker was nowhere to be seen.Like Ali, several others, including Md Aslam Sheikh and Jalaluddin, said they had purchased land in the area. They urged the govt to arrest the alleged brokers and help recover their money.A school building, a mazar and other places of worship were not demolished on Sunday, an official said. The official added that 60 excavators had been deployed for the eviction drive.The eviction drive has once again brought into focus the sensitive issues of govt land encroachment, long-term settlement and the displacement of families who have lived in the area for decades.
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