Over 1,000 households were evicted in Rajapukhuri and Gelajan during a joint Assam-Nagaland operation in the DAB. Officials say Naga-owned properties were not affected.
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DIMAPUR — A joint eviction drive by the Assam and Nagaland governments was conducted on Sunday, August 3, in Rajapukhuri and Gelajan areas under Aghunaqa area of Niuland district, which falls within the Disputed Area Belt (DAB).
According to reports, more than 1,000 households were evicted during the drive aimed at removing illegal encroachments. However, no Naga-owned properties were reportedly damaged during the operation.
Representatives from the Western Sumi Hoho (WSH), Western Sumi Kukami Hoho (WSKH), Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF), Hukhai Village Council, Aghunaqa Area GBs, along with border magistrate and police officers representing Nagaland, were present during the eviction.
This follows a similar joint eviction drive carried out on July 29 in Section-C of the DAB, targeting areas such as Bidyapur and Kherbari (Liphanyan village), and Madhupur (Tchujanphen village).
Read more: Eviction drive carried out in disputed Nagaland-Assam border area
Assam’s Special Chief Secretary for Forest, MK Yadav, stated that while the exact figures were still being verified, evictions on July 29 covered approximately 5 to 10 hectares.
He said that the operation was carried out with caution to avoid affecting genuine residents, especially those from Nagaland.
Yadav further estimated the extent of encroachment across the region to be around 10,000 to 11,000 bighas, adding that a full assessment was still underway.
Also read: Assam: Over 1,500 families displaced as first phase of Golaghat forest eviction drive concludes