Sudden eviction drive in Dharmanagar, Tripura leaves six families homeless as homes are demolished without notice. Locals question lack of rehabilitation and transparency as authorities plan a women’s hostel on the cleared government land.
A sudden eviction drive conducted by the Dharmanagar Municipal Council on Friday afternoon left six families homeless after their houses were demolished at Padmapur Mahadev Bari under the Dharmanagar-56 Assembly constituency. The operation has triggered sharp criticism from local residents and raised serious questions over rehabilitation, transparency, and humanitarian concerns.
The demolition was carried out with the help of a bulldozer, accompanied by police personnel, including women officers, and civic workers. According to eyewitnesses, the eviction was executed swiftly, leaving little time for the affected families to salvage their belongings.
Residents claimed that they had been living on the government land for nearly 12 years and possessed valid electricity connections, indicating long-term settlement. Several affected families alleged that they had recently received verbal assurance from the North Tripura District Magistrate that their houses would not be demolished. Despite these assurances, the structures were razed without any prior notice or written eviction order, they said.
Two Deputy Collectors from the Dharmanagar Sub-Divisional Officer’s office — Zenius Debbarma and Prashanta Bhattacharjee — were present at the site during the eviction. However, both officials declined to comment when approached by the media, further adding to public dissatisfaction and speculation surrounding the drive.
The human impact of the demolition was starkly visible at the site. Several women were seen breaking down in tears as their homes were reduced to rubble. A six-month pregnant woman and mothers carrying infants were observed sitting helplessly beside the debris, highlighting the absence of any immediate relief or alternative shelter arrangements.
Local sources revealed that the cleared land is proposed to be used for the construction of a 100-bed women’s hostel. While the project is intended for public welfare, residents questioned the urgency of the eviction and criticized the authorities for failing to provide rehabilitation or resettlement options for families who had lived there for over a decade.
Civil society members and local residents have demanded accountability from the administration, urging authorities to adopt a humane approach while implementing development projects. They stressed that infrastructure development should not come at the cost of basic human rights, especially without proper notice, legal process, or rehabilitation plans.
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The incident has once again brought the issue of urban eviction, land rights, and displacement into sharp focus in Tripura, with calls growing louder for policy reforms that balance development with social justice.
