Two individuals, namely Haidar Ali and Juwahid Ali, were killed in police firing on September 10, 2024, during a violent “clash” between the police and residents in the Kosutoli area of Sonapur, Assam. The incident occurred amid an eviction drive, during which several people of Assam, including a 10-year-old girl studying in Class IV, were injured. The eviction, which entered its fourth day, turned violent when police began to seize the belongings of the residents.
Sonapur revenue village, located just 30 km from Guwahati, lies in a tribal belt and block area. The disputed land, approximately 248 bighas, is allegedly occupied by 237 families. Tensions escalated during the eviction, with the Assam Director General of Police (DGP) claiming that the violence was a “conspiracy” and a “targeted attack by miscreants.”
The situation in Sonapur Revenue Circle has escalated amid allegations that officials are manipulating the narrative surrounding the recent violence during the eviction drive. What began as an operation to clear 248 bighas of government land in a notified tribal belt has now spiralled into a tense standoff between the authorities and local residents.
While the government has claimed that officials were attacked with sharp weapons and stones, many in the community believe the incident is being misrepresented. They argue that the use of force by the police was disproportionate and that the authorities are shifting blame to justify the violence that left two dead and several others injured.
Escalating tensions due to Assam officials justifying the tragedy:
Taking to X, DGP GP Singh claimed that on September 12, government officials, including on-duty police personnel, were attacked during an ongoing eviction drive in the Sonapur Revenue Circle of Kamrup Metro. Alleging that the eviction was being conducted by the revenue authorities of Kamrup Metro in accordance with established procedures, the senior police officer stated that the goal of the drive is to clear 248 bighas of government land in a notified tribal belt, where 237 unauthorized structures had been illegally built.
Referring to the violence that took place during the eviction, the DGP wrote that “During today’s proceedings, government officials were obstructed from carrying out their duties when they were attacked with sharp weapons and pelted with stones, resulting in grievous injuries. So far, 22 government officials have been reported injured, some seriously, as per official records. In response to this targeted attack by miscreants, police resorted to the authorized use of force, following due process. In the ensuing violence, 13 individuals were injured, two of whom were declared dead after being taken to the hospital. Guwahati Police has been instructed to identify and take legal action against all individuals involved in the attack on government officials. Meanwhile, all statutory procedures regarding the use of force by the police are being followed. Appropriate medical treatment is being provided to the injured government officials and others affected by today’s incident.”
The post may be seen here:
Reference incident of attack on Government officials on duty at Sonapur, Kamrup Metro – Revenue authorities of Kamrup Metro have been carrying out eviction proceedings from the government land in the notified tribal belt of Sonapur Revenue Circle of Kamrup Metro since Sept 9th… pic.twitter.com/jnLBMSBc7S
— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) September 12, 2024
As was expected from the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has alleged that the violence was incited by the Congress party, accusing them of provoking the residents to attack the police. While addressing the media, the Chief Minister claimed that the “encroachers” were originally from Darrang and Morigaon districts of Assam.
CM Biswa took to X to speak on this incident, in his caption, written in Hindi, he has referred to the people involved in the “clash” as “ghuspethiya (infiltrators)”, further complicating the narrative. In his caption, he has written “We are running a special campaign against the encroachers who have illegally occupied the land of the tribals in Sonapur, Assam. Yesterday, the Congress held a press conference and expressed sympathy for the infiltrators, after which the same infiltrators attacked the police.”
The post may be seen here:
असम के सोनापुर में आदिवासियों की जमीन पर अवैध तरीके से कब्ज़ा करने वाले अतिक्रमणकारियों के विरुद्ध हम एक विशेष मुहिम चला रहे हैं। कल कांग्रेस ने एक प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस करके घुसपैठियों पर सहानुभूति जताई, जिसके बाद उन्हीं घुसपैठियों ने पुलिस पर आक्रमण किया।#PressMeet pic.twitter.com/VIu3s9qUFe
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) September 13, 2024
Competing narratives and justified concerns over police action:
As officials provide their version of the events surrounding the eviction drive in Sonapur, they have asserted that the police were forced to respond with necessary force after being attacked by residents wielding sharp weapons and pelting stones. According to this narrative, the violence was a premeditated attack on government officials performing their duties, leading to the tragic deaths of two individuals and injuries to others, including police personnel.
However, this official account has sparked justified concerns and criticism from several quarters. All Assam Minority Students Union (AAMSU) president, Rejaul Karim Sarkar, condemned the police firing, calling it a “deliberate action” by the government aimed at targeting the minority community. He accused the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government of harbouring animosity towards the minority population and questioned why no action was being taken against those who illegally sold tribal belt land on fraudulent documents. Sarkar demanded that the government provide land to the landless instead of forcefully evicting them.
Congress Opposition Leader Debabrata Saikia also raised serious concerns about the legality of the eviction, accusing the government of playing “cheap politics.” He claimed the eviction drive violated court procedures, alleging that no eviction notice had been served beforehand. Saikia further criticized the government for spreading fear and threatening a specific community, echoing the growing unease over the state’s actions. Notably, a team of Assam Congress has been also constituted to visit the eviction area under Sonapur revenue circle to assess the situation.
These criticisms point to broader questions about the transparency and fairness of the eviction process. The incident is eerily reminiscent of a similar episode of violence in September 2021 in Darrang district, where two individuals were killed in police firing during an eviction drive. The parallels—two deaths, the same month, the same community affected, and the same BJP-led government—have only intensified scrutiny of the state’s actions and raised doubts about the motives behind these eviction drives.
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