One person died and seven others were injured in clash between encroachers and forest guards at Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary of Sonitpur district of Assam. The dead is identified as Rahima Khatun. https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/assam-1-dead-several-injured-over-clash-between-forest-team-illegal-encroachers-at-wildlife-sanctuary20230717235014/https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/assam-1-dead-several-injured-over-clash-between-forest-team-illegal-encroachers-at-wildlife-sanctuary20230717235014/
As per sources, illegal Miyan encroachers have been recently settling inside protected forest areas of Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary. They were previously evicted from that forest. So, on duty forest guards were vigil.
On Monday morning, forest guards barred them while they were building shanties. Enraged on this, around 800-900 encroachers attacked forest guards with machetes, bamboo sticks and other sharp weapons.
At first, forest guards tried to talk with them and tried to pacify the situation. But, encroachers attacked them. To disperse the mob, forest guards allegedly fired in the air resulting several injured. At least four encroachers sustained bullet injuries. A woman named Rahima Khatun died while taken to hospital. Also, three forest guards were injured in the attack.
Nagaon Wildlife Divisional Forest Officer Jayanta Deka said, “Encroachers who were earlier evicted from the forest, were trying to occupy the land again inside the forest.”
