Forest land encroachment by missionary education institute Don Bosco University has come to light after the sensational suicide of businessman in Sonapur near Guwahati.Patrick Bordoloi, the son of George Bordoloi, had filed an FIR against Stephen Mavely after the death of his father after which Mavely was arrested on May 24 under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code. George was considered to be one of the pioneers of resort tourism in Assam and he had committed suicide on May 23 and left behind a suicide note with Mavely’s name written on it.
Businessman George Bordoloi, in his suicide note, mentioned that Vice-Chancellor of Stephan Mavely mentally tortured him in a fake land-related case which forced him to commit suicide. After the initial investigation by police, it has come to light that the Don Bosco University has encroached on 99 acres of government and forest land in the Sonapur area near the Guwahati city.
Though he was granted bail by Guwahati High Court, Mavely was ordered to fully cooperate with the investigation team. Businessman George Bordoloi in his suicide note mentioned that Father Stephan Mavely blocked several elephant corridors by constructing boundary walls of his university campus, which led to a man elephant conflict in the Sonapur area.
Now, The Assam Government has constituted a three member committee in view of George Bordoloi’s suicide incident and the alleged land grabbing case surrounding his death.The inquiry committee will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary Paban Barthakur. The three-member committee will investigate the Don Bosco University land grabbing matter under Sonapur Revenue Circle. The other members of the Committee are GD Tripathy, Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue and Kamrup Metro DC, Pallav Gopal Jha.
Meanwhile, locals in the Sonapur area said that a few years ago, the huge area was forest land, and Don Bosco University constructed boundary walls and built their campus on the forest land by encroaching it. They demand a thorough investigation of the matter.
