2 killed in police firing during eviction protests

At least two civilians were killed and five others injured on Monday when police opened fire to enforce high court order to evict encroachers from Kaziranga National Park in central Assam’s Nagaon district. However, 18 policemen were also injured in the eviction drive as encroachers, who were demanding compensation before eviction, resorted to stone pelting.

In October 2015, the Gauhati high court had ordered eviction of three villages – Bandardubi, Deosursang and Palkhowa situated on the fringe of the Kaziranga National Park. Following the direction of the court, the Assam government had decided to carry out eviction in Bandardubi and Deosursang areas under Kaliabor sub-division of Nagaon district.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal who ordered a high level probe into the incident said that some external forces provoked the villagers for stone pelting.

Announcing a compensation of '5 lakh for the families of those killed, Mr Sonowal reiterated that his government was committed to pay adequate compensation to all those who have been evicted following the court order.

“Two senior ministers had a meeting with the villagers before the eviction drive was launched,” said Mr Sonowal.

The ministers had assured the villagers in the meeting that even those who do not have land patta would be compensated after the eviction.

Senior police officers present at Banderdubi urged the protesters to move away but they turned violent with security forces resorting to lathicharge, tear gas shelling to disperse them.

RTI activists and Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi, who on Sunday threatened to launch West Bengal’s Singur-like agitation if the Assam government continued with its eviction drive, was leading the protesters.

The KMSS on Monday condemned the incident and accused it to be a conspiracy of some BJP ministers.

Meanwhile, ex-chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday also condemned the incident and accused the government of being insensitive. “The court had passed this order when I was the chief minister but we delayed the execution,” said Mr Gogoi, adding that the present government had the option of delaying execution of the court order but they never wanted to.