Massive eviction drive underway on encroached land inside Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary

A large-scale eviction drive is underway on July 6 at Garajan inside the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Nagaon district, where the Forest Department and the district administration are clearing alleged encroachments on protected forest land.

Officials are carrying out the eviction across hundreds of bighas of land reportedly under jute cultivation. Heavy security has been deployed across the area, with police and other security personnel maintaining a tight vigil to prevent any law and order situation.

Meanwhile, local residents have levelled serious allegations against the Forest Department, claiming that cultivation on the sanctuary land had been allowed under the department's patronage for years.

According to the residents, some forest personnel allegedly accepted money from farmers and permitted cultivation on government land. They further alleged that although people have been cultivating the land illegally for the past 15 to 20 years, the Forest Department never objected or took action until the current eviction drive.

The allegations have not been independently verified, and the Forest Department has not issued any official response to the claims.

The eviction operation is continuing, and further details are awaited.