Thread by @VoiceOfAxom

A brief history about the Dholpur, Encroachment:

Dholpur encroachment issue is not new but started during the late ’70s. Till 1979, there were only 37 families who migrated from Nagaon district. By the end of 1981, several 100s of families settled there by encroaching it. 1/n

The encroachers' first targeted the age-old Shiv temple and its land. By 1981 when the Assam agitation was on the pick, 100s of families were brought to Dholpur by Congress leaders. They first encroached the 180 bighas of land that belongs to the Shiv temple. 2/n

Later the whole area which is more than 77000 bighas were encroached by thousands of families who migrated from outside the country. Initially, the big trees inside the temple campus were cleared & valuables belonging to the temple were looted. 3/n

About the Shiv Temple of Dholpur:

The Dholpur Shiv Temple is 5000 years old, situated at the top of the Dholpur hill in the middle of the river Brahmaputra. It was established during the 4th century by Kirat Community. 4/n

The structure of the temple was destroyed in the 14th century due to natural calamity. After that Ahom kings looked after the temple for a long period. Nepali kings were also great devotees of the temple. 5/n

Dholpur Shiva Temple is one of the prime religious destinations in the Darrang district, located on a hilltop surrounded by scenic beauty. The temple remains consist of various stone architectural designs, pillars, the basement, floral and animal motifs, brick wall, etc. 6/n

The stone remnants of Dholpur could be dated in between 8th to 9th century AD, and brick remains are assigned to be 17th to 18th century AD. 7/n

Till 1979, the plains of the Dholpur hill were farmland of Hindu Dairy Farmers. Hundreds of Hindu farmers operated their dairy farms. They used their earnings from their dairy farms to take care of the Shiva Mandir. Hence this area is well known as 'Goru Khuti' (Cow farm). 8/n

In February 1983, miscreants killed Shiva Das, the Pujari of the Shiv Temple. Another Pujari Kartik Das chased away to nearby Village. Deceased Pujari Shiva Das was declared a martyr of Assam agitation and he was one of the 855 martyrs of the long Assam Agitation. 9/n

After the demise of the Pujari Kartik Das in 2011, his wife was forced to marry a Muslim man. She and the three children of the late Pujari Kartik Das were converted to Muslim. Such is the threat to indigenous people in Dholpur. 10/n