Guwahati, Sept 25: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday hinted that the Popular Front of India (PFI) may have been involved in the violence that broke out during the eviction drive in the Sipajhar area of Darrang district in central Assam.

“Assam government has clear evidence that a certain group of people collected 28 lakh rupees in past few months from the poor people there that they will convince government against eviction. We have those names. When they could not resist the eviction drive, they mobilised people and created havoc. We have names of 6 people who are involved.” Sarma said.

He added,”Various evidences have surfaced suggesting that prior to the day of the incident,  in the name of carrying food items for evicted families, PFI visited the site. There are evidences suggesting a lecturer was also involved.”

Sarma said he will not divulge more details as the judicial probe will reveal more details.

The Popular Front of India (PFI) is an extremist Islamic organisation in India formed as a successor to National Development Front (NDF) in 2006, and often has been accused for involvement in anti-national and anti-social activities by the Indian Government.

2 killed, 20 injured in eviction drive clash

At least two persons were killed and 20 others injured in the violence that broke out on Thursday when a mob clashed with the police during an eviction drive in the Darrang district of the state.

The eviction drive was launched by the police and the district administration to vacate 4,500 bighas (602.40 hectares) of government land illegally encroached by several hundreds of families of Bengali-speaking Muslims.

“The drive went on smoothly till Wednesday, and only 60 families had to be evicted on Thursday. But around 10,000 people with lathis etc. gathered at Sipajhar to put up a massive resistance,” Sarma had earlier stated.

Meanwhile, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPc to prevent any probable breach of public peace.

Eviction drive after discussions: Sarma

The Assam Chief Minister had on Friday asserted that discussions were held for over four months before the eviction drive was launched to clear the land at Gorukhuti village in the district.

“The eviction drive was not carried out in a day. It was initiated with an agreed principle that as per the land policy, the landless will be provided with two acres and this was agreed upon by the representatives. Following this, no resistance was expected. However, about 10,000 people surrounded the police, indulged in violence and they were forced to retaliate,” Sarma had said.