Assam: Illegal encroachers file a lawsuit against property belonging to Dhubri district Jail

It was conspicuously discovered that a few suspected miscreants have filed a lawsuit against government-owned land in the Alomganj area that had been sanctioned for the construction of the Dhubri district Jail.

However, the district administration has not been able to evict the illegal encroachers so far.

According to the jail authorities, they are unable to get their hands on the site and start construction as it is encroached illegally by a few suspected miscreants. It has been more than six months, and neither the district administration nor the state government of Assam succeeded in removing the illegal occupants from the property.

Whereas, District Magistrate Dhubri approved the land measuring: 40B-0K-OL covered by Dag No-823 of village Alomganj Pt-IX under Gauripur Revenue Circle in favour of Inspector General of Prisons, Assam for the construction of District Jail, Dhubri which was recommended by the SDL.AC, Dhubri during a meeting held on November 11, 2022.

As per official records, the land should be utilized to construct the district jail within a period of three years from the date of handing over possession of the land, which is 11 January 2023. Failing such order the land allotted for the Jail will be automatically cancelled and be reverted to the Government in the Revenue and District Magistrate Department.

Subsequently, Abdul Hamid Sheikh son of Soleman Sk, the President, and Shohidur Rahman Mollah son of Niyam Mollah, the Secretary of Rangamati Natun Bazar (Pokamari Bazar) Committee, Village - Alomganj Part-IX, under Gauripur police station are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the governments said land.

As per official documents, the land has been registered in the name of the Dhubri district Jail on government records like 'Chitha copy'. However, due to the lethargic approach of the district administration, the land couldn't come into the possession of the jail authorities.

Moreover, many are also suspecting that the president and secretary of the Rangamati Natun Bazar (Pokamari Bazar) Committee has managed the district administration and is obstructing the possession of the said land by the jail authorities so that the illegal encroachers can permanently possess the land.

Whereas the current jail complex in Dhubri town can accommodate 221 inmates, the prison is severely hampered by overpopulation and congestion as a result of a lack of available land and living space. There are currently more than 500 detainees, both men, and women, on the jail's grounds.

The present site of jail within the Dhubri town has been congested and there is no scope for extension. Due to the lack of sufficient land within the perimeter wall of the jail, the construction of a school, jail hospital, manufactory shed, legal service clinic, video conference room, auditorium, and library for the prisoners, which are essential for modern-day correctional service is not feasible to the full requirement.

In addition to these, agricultural lands are very essential for the jail for the exertion of agricultural skills of the prisoners which can be utilized for the production of vegetables and other agricultural products required for the jail. But there is no scope for such activity in the present Jail as there is no agricultural land on the present jail campus.

The district jail authorities approached the government through the district magistrate many times but due to alleged official negligence the requirement is pending for more than ten years even after the approval of land which is provided by the government on 3rd January 2023 vide letter No. DRS.41/2022/46. 

Meanwhile, it has been reported that a few suspected miscreants have filed a lawsuit against the said land. 

Here in Dhubri district, the administration has completely failed to evict the said land from illegal encroachers for jail construction, and the jail authorities are completely shattered and blaming the district administration for neglecting such an important judiciary concern.

Assam government had already issued an order to the Inspector General (Prisons) to start the groundwork for initially shifting 13 jails of Assam from town areas to outlying areas. Even though the illegal land encroachers in Dhubri are opposing the government notified the order and challenges the Jail authorities in court premises.

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