Guwahati: Forest officials and police hit the ground in Nagaon district on July 6 to purge encroachers from the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary. Heavy machinery moved in to clear hundreds of bighas of land currently covered in illicit jute crops. Authorities locked down the area with a massive police presence to block any potential riots or resistance.
Locals are firing back at the Forest Department. They claim the agency essentially greenlit this occupation for nearly two decades. Residents accuse staff of taking bribes to let farmers work the dirt for years without a peep from the government.
According to the residents, "some forest personnel allegedly accepted money from farmers and permitted cultivation on government land." Officials have yet to respond to these charges of corruption. The sweep continues as teams work to reclaim the protected sanctuary space.
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