The Gauhati High Court has restrained the Assam government from evicting the people of a village in Darrang district.
The Circle Officer of Dhekiajuli revenue circle had on November 15 issued eviction notices to the residents of No. 1, Basasimolu village, directing them to vacate the government land they had encroached upon.
The village is not far from Dhalpur — also in Darrang district — where two persons, including a minor, were killed in police firing during an eviction drive on September 23. Like Dhalpur, all the residents of No. 1, Basasimolu are Bengal-origin Muslims.
After receiving the notices over a fortnight, the villagers had on December 3 written to the Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management and the officials concerned, praying not to evict them and seeking allotment of the land they had been living on for decades.
A total of 244 petitioners later approached the court. On December 15, Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak directed the representatives of the government to not take any coercive measures against the people served eviction notices until a representation of the petitioners to the Circle Officer concerned is disposed of.
