Nellie Massacre

The 'Nellie Massacre' took place  during a six-hour period in the morning of Feb18, 1983 that claimed the lives of 2,191 people (unofficial figures run at more than 5,000) from 14 villages—Alisingha, Khulapathar, Basundhari, Bugduba Beel, Bugduba Habi, Borjola, Butuni, Indurmari, Mati Parbat, Muladhari, Mati Parbat no. 8, Silbheta, Borburi and Nellie—of Nagaon District in Assam. Most of the victims were Bengali-speaking Muslims who had immigrated to the region illegally. A group of media personnel passing by the region were witness to the massacre.

The Attack
At around 8-30 AM, suddenly the village was attacked by mobs from three sides surrounding the villagers and pushing them towards river Kopili. People armed with sharp weapons, spears, and a few guns, advanced towards Nellie in an organized manner. The attackers encircled the whole village and left open the side that ends towards river Kopili. There were attackers in boats too. Killing started at around 9 am and continued till 3 pm. Most of the victims were women and children.

The massacre was one of many violent incidents during the infamous 1983 elections(elections were declared against the wishes of the 'Assam Agitation' leaders who did not want an election till the electoral rolls were cleansed of alleged illegal immigrants who were collaborating with the Pakistani Army in 1971) conducted in the midst of the 'Assam Agitation'.

The survivors were taken to Nagaon police station. Most of the survivors were put into Nellie camp at Nagaon and they returned to their village after 14 days upon restoration of normalcy.


'Assam Agitation'

The Assam Agitation (or Assam Movement) was a popular movement against undocumented migrants in Assam between 1979 and 1985 and is regarded as one of the most vibrant democratic mass movements of independent India. The movement, led by All Assam Students Union(AASU) and the 'All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad'(AAGSP) set an agitational program to compel the government to identify and expel the
illegal immigrants.The agitational program ended in 1985 following the 'Assam Accord' that was signed between the agitation leaders and the Central Govt.

The 'Assam Accord' (1985) was a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed between representatives of the GOI and the leaders of the 'Assam Agitation'.  in New Delhi on Aug15, 1985. The accord brought an end to the 'Assam Agitation' and paved the way for the leaders of the agitation to form a political party and form a government in the state  thereafter.