Silchar: One person was killed and two others injured on Thursday morning after police opened fire during a clash with evicted settlers in Assam’s Goalpara district, police said.
Fifteen police and forest officers were injured too.
A large-scale eviction drive was carried out by the state government between July 8 and 12 in the Goalpara and Dhubri districts, during which alleged illegal houses on forest and government land were demolished.
According to police officers, a plantation programme – a post-eviction initiative by the district administration – was organised in the Paikan Reserve Forest area. A mob, allegedly former settlers, attacked the officers with stones and sticks, damaging machinery including excavators.
“More than 2,000 villagers suddenly attacked us with stones and sharp weapons. We were only 70 personnel on the ground. After several warnings, the police were forced to open fire in self-defence,” a senior police officer, who was present at the site, said.
Police have identified the deceased as Shakuar Hussain, a local. Two others who sustained bullet injuries were taken to a nearby government hospital. “The body of the deceased was sent for postmortem,” the officer said.
Around 15 police and forest officers were injured in the mob attack. “Some are undergoing treatment at a government facility in Goalpara,” the officer said.
Issuing a stern warning, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “We won’t spare anyone who attacked government officials. Strict legal action will follow. The plantation drive will continue as part of efforts to restore forest land.”
“An investigation has been launched into Thursday’s incident. First information reports (FIRs) will be registered against those who attacked on-duty officers,” the officer added.