Madiha Raza
Women were seen crying and offering prayers near a mosque as bulldozers moved through Alamganj Part-IX in Assam’s Dhubri district on November 1, during a large-scale eviction drive that left thousands of residents facing displacement.
The operation was carried out in the Gauripur Revenue Circle, where the district administration sought to clear approximately 650 bighas (around 215 acres) of land, claiming it was government land under encroachment.
According to media reports, more than 50 bulldozers and excavators were deployed under heavy police security to demolish houses and other structures. Initial estimates suggested that nearly 550 families would be displaced, while a subsequent report by Scroll stated that more than 640 Bengali Muslim families had lost their homes, affecting over 4,000 residents.
Officials said nearly 80 per cent of residents had already vacated the area after receiving notices. However, some residents reportedly disputed the administration’s claims over the land, saying they had purchased plots from private individuals and had paid land revenue for years.
The eviction also raised concerns over religious structures in the area. Visuals showed residents praying near a mosque and grieving as demolitions continued. Reports stated that a mazar and its adjoining graveyard were spared for the time being following discussions with the local committee. The exact number of religious structures demolished remains unclear.
Speaking to Scroll, 80-year-old resident Ali Chand Fakir said he had lived in the village since 1962, after moving from neighbouring Goalpara district due to erosion and flooding caused by the Brahmaputra River. He also said that several residents had paid land revenue between 1972 and 2016.
The administration stated that the cleared land may be handed over to the Industrial Department for a proposed industrial park. Meanwhile, eviction from the remaining 150 bighas has been put on hold due to pending proceedings before the Gauhati High Court, with the next hearing scheduled for November 13.
The eviction drive has also triggered widespread reactions on social media, with users expressing concern over the displacement of Muslim families and the reported demolition of religious structures. Some users have pointed to reports of more than 10 mosques being demolished and over 1,100 Muslim families being displaced during separate eviction operations in Assam, raising concerns among Muslim communities in India and abroad.
For the families affected in Alamganj, the immediate challenge remains finding shelter and rebuilding their lives. While the administration has identified possible temporary shelter sites for families left landless, questions surrounding permanent rehabilitation, land ownership and residents’ rights remain.
