Guwahati, 26th September: Tensions flared in Kerkhabari, Bongaigaon district, as an eviction drive led by the North Salmara sub-divisional administration faced stiff opposition from local residents. The conflict centered around 185 bighas of government khas land, designated by the Assam Agriculture Department for an agricultural research center under the Srijangram revenue circle.
For over 40 years, indigenous farmers had been cultivating the land, and their long-standing demand for land rights came into direct conflict with the government’s development plans. The eviction orders, intended to clear the land for the research center, triggered widespread unrest when officials arrived to enforce them.
The situation escalated as agitated villagers dismantled recently erected fencing that demarcated the research center’s boundaries. Police present at the scene acted swiftly to contain the disorder, preventing further violence.
In response to the unrest, authorities have temporarily halted the eviction process, leaving the future of both the land and the proposed agricultural research center uncertain. The conflict underscores the growing tensions between development initiatives and indigenous land rights in the region.