At least five persons were injured as clashes broke out between the district administration accompanied by security personnel and group encroachers, who had encroached upon Amchang wildlife sanctuary located close to Assam’s capital town Guwahati
The Kamrup (Metro) district administration accompanied by at least 1,500 police and CRPF personnel, elephants and JCBs started an eviction drive at three locations under Amchang wildlife sanctuary around 8.40 am on Monday.
Clashes broke out after hundreds of settlers from different parts of Amsang put up a resistance to three-day encroachment drive that started on Monday, police said adding that by forest and district administration officials, bulldozers and elephants when they swooped down to encroached areas.
“Eviction was carried out in three locations of Amsang — Yusufnagar, Nabajyotinagar and Kangkannagar. The team was faced with strong resistance mostly in Nabajyotinagar, where police had to fire tea gas shells to disperse the protestors who resorted to stone pelting,” police said adding that five persons including three women and a photographer of the forest department were injured during the scuffle that took place.
“Initially there was lot of resistance at Nabajyoti nagar. Protesters blocked the road. After lot of pursuasion they did not relent.
Finally after following proper procedure, tear smoke shells had to be fired,” Kamrup (metropolitan) deputy commissioner M Angamuthu said.
Police also alleged that activists of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a peasant group which is against the eviction, were also involved in the protest at Nabajyotinagar.
Forest department officials said all together 408 structures in about 150 hectare area were demolished.
Out of 79 Sq KM area of Amsang, 500 hectare is encroached by an estimated 3, 418 people belonging to 864 families. located on the eastern part of Guwahati, Amsang is a major elephant habitat in the city, besides having different species of wildlife.