Violence erupts at Sonapur eviction site in Assam: Two dead, dozens injured

Guwahati: Two people were killed and over 30 injured following violent clashes between police and residents of Sonapur’s Kosutoli in Assam on Thursday during an eviction drive.

The deceased have been identified as Haider Ali and Juwahid Ali. They succumbed to injuries from police firing at Sonapur District Hospital. Revenue Circle Officer Nitul Khatoniar and four police officers, including a female constable were injured.

Clashes broke out when police, along with district administration officials, attempted to evict alleged illegal settlers from a 100-bigha plot of land in the area. Over 150 people reside in the area.


Senior police officer who did not want to be named said, “Eviction has been going on and on other days there was no problem. However, tension started on Thursday. Police personnels were attacked with sticks and sharp objects. Vehicles were damaged and police personnels were injured in the stone pelting by the protestors.”

Police said that the police resorted to blank firing to control the situation, and authorities are investigating the incident.

In September 2021 there were violent clashes between local people and police which resulted in the death of two people and injury to 15 policemen during the eviction drive at Gorukhuti.

Three Bangladeshi were identified and pushed back. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated in X, “Continuing with their strict vigil along the Indo-Bangladesh border,@assampolicemanaged to identify three Bangladeshi nationals and pushed them back to their country in wee hours. The identified individuals were Sumon Hussain Suhana Khatun Eva Aktar.”