Archive · 8 Jan 2026
Assam Demolishes 1,200 Bengali Muslim Homes
In Assam, India, the government demolished 1,200 homes of Bengali Muslim families.
This happened in the Sonitpur district near a wildlife sanctuary.
The government says the families were living on land they shouldn't have been using.
Many families had lived there for a long time and say their ancestors settled there after their old lands were washed away by a river.
The government has been doing these kinds of demolitions for several years, especially in areas where Bengali-speaking Muslims live.
Some people got hurt in protests against these demolitions in the past.
The government says they have taken back a lot of land through these drives.
1,200 homes of Bengali Muslim families were demolished in Assam's Sonitpur district.
The evictions were conducted on January 5 and 6 to clear alleged encroachments in the Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary.
The demolitions were carried out in areas under the Tezpur Sadar and Dhekiajuli revenue circles.
Many residents had already left, but some stayed due to the cold and requested time to harvest their crops.
Since 2016, multiple demolition drives have been conducted, mostly targeting areas populated by Bengali-speaking Muslims.
- Who
- Bengali Muslim families in Assam's Sonitpur district
- What
- Demolition of 1,200 homes in an eviction drive
- When
- January 5 and 6, 2024
- Where
- Sonitpur district, Assam, India
- Why
- To clear alleged encroachments in the Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary
- Number of Homes Demolished
- 1,200
- Location
- Sonitpur district, Assam
- Date of Eviction
- January 5 and 6
- Land Area Cleared
- 650 hectares
- Wildlife Sanctuary
- Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary
- Chief Minister
- Himanta Biswa Sarma
- Previous Eviction
- February 2023 (2,099 hectares)
- Total Land Reclaimed
- 1.5 lakh bighas since 2016