“The Congress and extremist elements provoked the encroachers, resulting in violent confrontations with the police. The slogans used were disturbingly similar to those heard in Bangladesh,” Sarma said in a press briefing.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (photo:ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has blamed Congress and extremist groups for inciting violence during a recent eviction drive in Sonapur.
The operation, aimed at removing illegal encroachers from government land in the Kachutoli area, led to violent clashes between the police and locals.
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“The Congress and extremist elements provoked the encroachers, resulting in violent confrontations with the police. The slogans used were disturbingly similar to those heard in Bangladesh,” Sarma said in a press briefing.
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The violence erupted when eviction teams, supported by the district administration, moved in to clear the disputed land, which falls under a tribal belt with restrictions on residency.
Director General of Police G P Singh, who visited the site, revealed that the eviction drive was initiated following months of illegal construction in the area. “The attackers pelted stones at officials using rocks from a nearby railway track,” Singh reported. T
The clashes resulted in the injury of 22-23 police personnel, including a magistrate, and damage to several police vehicles. In response, police fired shots to control the crowd, leaving two people dead and several others injured.
The police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. Singh noted that the operation successfully cleared 151 families from the disputed 200 bighas of land.
As the investigation continues, the government has vowed to take action in accordance with its policies.
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