Guwahati, July 3 -- A large-scale eviction drive is underway at the Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Nagaon district on Thursday, as authorities move to clear alleged encroachments spread across hundreds of bighas of protected forest land.

According to local sources, the operation is focused on vast stretches of jute cultivation that officials claim have been carried out illegally within the sanctuary's notified forest area.

Tension gripped the area during the drive after local residents alleged that a man, who had gone to graze his cattle in the morning, was assaulted by forest personnel. The claim could not be independently verified, and the Forest Department had not issued any official response at the time of filing this report...