After the administration in Assam's Lakhimpur on Tuesday began a massive eviction drive to clear around 500 hectares of forest land, Lakhimpur SP B.M. Rajkhowa said that around 450 hectares of land would be freed from the encroachers.

The Superintendent of Police of Lakhimpur district B.M. Rajkhowa said that the eviction drive is underway and going on peacefully.

"We will free around 450 hectares of land from the encroachers. Originally there were around 500 families, but after issuing notices from the administration nearly 300 families have left the area. And many families have left the area this morning also. We have deployed security personnel, but there is no report of any untoward situation," Lakhimpu SP B.M. Rajkhowa told ANI.

Heavy security has been deployed in the area and the district administration is seen to be using excavators and tractors for the operation.

Meanwhile, many families who encroached on the forest lands have destroyed their houses and left the area.

Earlier on December 26, the district administration of Barpeta district of Assam carried out a massive eviction drive against encroachers.

The eviction drive was carried out in the presence of heavy security at the Baghbar Satra Kanara area where some people have encroached on nearly 400 bighas of government land. Police had also detained suspended Congress MLA Sherman Ali who staged a protest against the eviction.

Sunbar Chutia, Circle Officer, Barpeta said, "The district administration has evicted around 45 families who illegally encroached on the land of Satra Kanara."

"Earlier, we had issued notice three times to them (evicted families) and a public notice. The entire eviction drive was conducted peacefully. These lands will be government's land and the government will use these lands as per requirement," Sunbar Chutia said.

The Assam government had previously carried out a massive eviction drive at Batadraba in the Nagaon district.

(With Inputs from ANI)