Assam: Massive eviction drive in Nalbari’s Bakrikuchi, 93 families displaced as bulldozers roll in

The Nalbari district administration, with the support of over a thousand military and paramilitary personnel, demolished more than 100 homes in Bakrikuchi, Mukalmua under the Barkhetri Revenue Circle. A total of 93 families were evicted from government land, triggering scenes of distress and anguish as many, including elderly and women, collapsed in tears on the roadside.

Residents of the evicted families cried out in despair, with one saying, “Let the government crush us under the JCB machines. Our children have been without food since 5 AM. The government has harassed us in the name of eviction. Where will we go now? Where will we live? We will die here itself.” Several people, overcome with emotion, fainted on the road after losing their homes. Many now say they have no option but to live on the roadside.

This was reportedly the largest eviction operation in the history of Nalbari district. The drive was conducted using bulldozers and excavators on government land at Bakrikuchi, which falls under Dag No. 106 of North Barkhetri Mouza—covering a total area of 452 bighas, 1 katha, and 14 lechas. The land had been under illegal occupation for years by around 93 families who had built houses, dug ponds, and created community infrastructure like Eidgah fields, government schools, and Anganwadi centres.

Earlier, the district administration had issued notices to vacate the land. On June 3, the Barkhetri Revenue Circle office formally served eviction notices to the encroachers. Despite attempts to get a stay order from the Gauhati High Court, the petitioners faced disappointment. Following the court’s verdict, the district administration launched the eviction operation today.

Ahead of the official eviction, some encroachers had already dismantled their homes and moved to other locations. This, according to Deputy Commissioner Dibakar Das Patowary, contributed to the smooth execution of the eviction process. He confirmed that 93 families had been residing on the encroached land.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhilesh Singh was also present at the eviction site and asserted that no one has the right to encroach on government land. “This is government property, and no one can occupy it illegally,” he said in a press briefing.

It is worth noting that many of these families had originally migrated to Bakrikuchi from erosion-affected char (riverine) areas such as Kapladari and Bhangnamari. At the time, the then Revenue Minister and former Chief Minister, the late Bhumidhar Barman, had reportedly allowed them to settle in the area.

IGP Akhilesh Singh stated that the government will look into the possibility of rehabilitating the evicted families in the future. He emphasized that occupying government land is illegal and expressed confidence that locals understand this principle. He also claimed that the eviction drive received full support from the public.