Muslim Families Homeless After Forest Eviction in Assam, Legislator Alleges Targeted Action

Muslim Families Homeless After Forest Eviction in Assam, Legislator Alleges Targeted Action
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A recent eviction drive in the Lutumari forest area of Assam’s Nagaon district has left hundreds of Muslim families without shelter, forcing many to live under the open sky in freezing winter conditions, according to Clarion India.

The demolition operation cleared some 795 hectares of reserved forest land, displacing roughly 1,500 to 1,700 families, authorities said.

Senior legislator Haji Aminul Islam of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), after visiting the area, accused the state government of deliberately targeting Muslim residents. He said many families were left without shelter, food or water — and that tents offered as temporary relief were reportedly burned. He alleged that the demolitions were discriminatory and demanded an urgent investigation into the documentation and citizenship of the displaced.

The displaced families say they held long-term residence and that some had lived in the area for decades, unaware that the land had been formally designated as reserved forest. Local officials maintain the eviction was part of a broader anti‑encroachment drive, carried out after prior notices. Relief and rehabilitation efforts remain unclear as winter deepens.