1983 Nellie Massacre: Assam Government’s Decision to Table Tewary Commission Report Has Reopened Old Wounds; Rajiv Gandhi’s Assam Accord Put Tensions to Rest but Perpetrators Are Yet to Be Punished

Key Points:

The Nellie Massacre in the present-day Morigaon district of Assam was one of the largest and most horrifying incidents of bloodshed witnessed in India after independence. The massacre reportedly resulted in the deaths of around 1,800 Muslims in just a span of six hours.

Even decades later, the tensions between the locals — including the indigenous Tiwa tribal community — and Muslim immigrants from Bengal in the Nagaon–Morigaon belt are remembered by the tragic events of February 18, 1983, Nellie Massacre.

After nearly four decades since the horrific episode of ethnic violence, the Nellie Massacre has resurfaced in public attention. On November 25, 2025 the Assam government made a decisive move by making the long-suppressed Tewary Commission report public in the state legislative assembly.

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The report was based on the 1983 Assam Disturbances, and provides a detailed account of what occurred on the morning of the massacre. This marks the first official acknowledgment of the tragedy by the state government since the massacre.

Copies of the Commission report were shared with several members of the state assembly. The Commission sought to shed light on the truth behind the Nellie Massacre of 1983. According to the report, the violence could have been prevented but occurred due to “delayed action” and poor coordination among state authorities.

What was the Cause for the Assam Agitation: the Beginning

The Assam Movement, also known as the Anti-Foreigners Agitation, was one of the most influential student-led movements in Assam. The uprising continued for six years and was spearheaded by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP).

It was primarily launched to protest against illegal migrants from Bangladesh. The main issue was the concern raised by the people of Assam about migrants from East Pakistan (which later became Bangladesh),entering the state for years.

Around 7,90,000 to 9,67,000 foreigners reportedly migrated to Assam during 1951–61 and 1961–71. The student-led movement gained widespread support across Assam, driven by fears that continued migration would create disbalance in the state’s population balance, culture, and language.

The agitation took a major turn in 1979 when it was discovered that the voter list for the Lok Sabha by-election in Mangaldoi allegedly included the names of illegal migrants.

This intensified the already growing unrest in Assam, and protesters demanded that anyone who had entered the state after 1951 be identified and deported. Thus began the Assam Movement. It initially followed non-violent methods. However, in 1983, the tragic Nellie Massacre occurred, in which thousands of Muslims were killed.

What was the Nellie Massacre 1983?

The massacre was considered a national horror at the time. Even 42 years later, the Nellie Massacre remains a nightmare for many. Japanese scholar Makiko Kimura described it as the most gruesome tragedy in India since Partition.

The killings took place on the morning of February 18, 1983. In just a few hours, migrant Muslims from nearly 14 villages around Nellie, Assam, were brutally killed. Numerous reports from different media outlets have suggested that the actual death toll was much higher than the official figures.

The Indian Express stated that the unofficial death toll was nearly 3,000. Most of the victims were women, children, and the elderly, who were unable to escape the violence.

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According to the Tewary report, which detailed the investigation into the 1983 Assam riots, numerous attacks took place in the state between January and March 1983. The number of attacks was as high as 545, occurring on roads and bridges. The report also noted that over 100 cases of kidnapping were registered during the period of agitation.

There were also reports of an armed gathering of about 1,000 people in Nellie a day before the attack. The Officer-in-Charge of the Nagaon police station later stated that this large crowd had been seen beating drums and preparing for violence. On the day of the massacre, tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities escalated to an extreme level. 

On February 18, 1983, the violence began in Borbori village and eventually spread to Nellie and 13 other nearby villages. These villages were surrounded by an armed mob carrying machetes and guns.

Police Sub-Inspector D. Gogoi from the Jagiroad police station stated that he, along with CRPF personnel, moved toward Nellie after receiving the reports.

However, when they arrived, they found houses burning and numerous dead bodies—but no trace of the attackers. The victims of the massacre were primarily Bengali Muslims.

There were also reports suggesting an attempt to divert attention away from the affected villages, even as thick smoke continued to rise from the area. The violence continued until dusk, after which CRPF forces finally reached the scene of the crime.

The Assam Agitation concluded with the signing of the Assam Accord on 15 August, 1985, which was a Memorandum of Settlement between AASU, AAGSP, and the Union Government.

At the time, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi took steps to end the ethnic unrest that had continued for six years. The peace accord between the triad aimed to protect the identity, culture, political rights, and economic interests of the people of Assam.

The Assam Accord and the Tewary Commission report 

The Tewary Commission report was completed in 1984 but never saw the light of day for decades. Although around 688 FIRs were reportedly registered. The Assam Police filed charge sheets in only 310 out of the 688 registered FIRs, but even those cases led nowhere.

Justice for the victims was never truly pursued, as neither the mobs nor those who orchestrated the violence were ever held accountable. Many cases were registered initially but later reached a dead end due to a lack of evidence and improper investigation.

The 600-page report recently made headlines after the Assam government decided to table the Nellie report, 42 years after the massacre. The Tewary Commission was headed by retired High Court judge Justice Tribhuban Prasad Tewary and aimed to investigate the incident and identify the “administrative lapses”. Another report, known as the Mehta Commission report, was introduced in 1984 and led by Justice T. U. Mehta.

The Mehta Commission was set up as a follow-up to the government’s refusal to disclose the Tewary Commission report. The Assam government made both reports public on November 25, 2025. Earlier, only three copies of the Tewary Commission report existed, and they were kept concealed.

In a recent development, digital copies of the report have been distributed to all MLAs. This move by the state government has raised several questions — will the truth about the Nellie Massacre finally come to light ahead of the upcoming Assam elections?

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