Assam: Kochutoli encroachers vacate homes as deadline expires

Guwahati: Several families of Kochutoli village in Kamrup Metropolitan district of Assam, which was marred by violence during a recent eviction drive, have started vacating their homes with the deadline to free encroached land expiring on Monday (September 16, 2024).

Some of these families – allegedly settled illegally in the tribal belt - were seen leaving their homes with their belongings.

Majority of these alleged encroachers own land in other districts of Assam, including Barpeta, Morigaon and Darrang have now started to move back to their native places.

Earlier, the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration had set September 16 as the deadline to vacate the village.

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The authorities had served eviction notices to those who were found to be illegally occupying government land. The authorities had also warned of strict action against those who may not have vacated their homes adhering to the deadline.   

Last week, a team from the Sonapur Circle office along with the local police went to the Kochutoli village in order to evict the Bengali-speaking Muslim villagers.

These illegal settlers had been removed from the encroached land on a previous occasion but returned later and settled again.   

While the eviction drive was underway on September 12, these villagers, including women, attacked the officials and policemen on duty with sharp weapons, sticks and stones.

The police in order to disperse the mob had to open fire in which two villagers died and over 35 others, including 22 government officials and policemen, were injured in the melee.