Assam govt to table Tiwari Commission report on 1983 Nellie Massacre in Assembly, to be made public after its submission over 40 years ago

In a significant decision, the Assam cabinet has decided to table the Tiwari Commission report on 1983 Nellie Massacre at the state assembly.  The Cabinet today approved the tabling of the long-delayed report in the upcoming session of the Assam Legislative Assembly. With this decision, the report will be made public after over 4 decades it was submitted to the government.

The Nellie massacre took place on 18 February 1983 in and around Nellie area in central Assam during the height of the Assam agitation. Over 2,000 lives were lost when the villages occupied by Bengali Muslims were attacked by hundreds of indigenous people from nearby areas. The mob burnt houses and blocked roads killing anyone who tried to escape. Most of the casualties were women and children.

According to official estimates, between 1,600 and 3,000 people died in the assault that continued for the whole night. However, unofficial reports claim that the number was much higher. It is alleged that the local police failed to protect the villagers, and the violence stopped only after the arrival of CRPF troops.

Following the violence, the Assam government formed the Tiwari Commission, headed by Justice Tribhubhan Prasad Tiwari, to investigate the causes and circumstances leading to the massacre. Although the commission reportedly submitted its report in 1984, the Hiteswar Saikia led Congress government in the state decided to not make it public. Since then, it has never been made public until now, as subsequent governments also followed the same policy of keeping it confidential.

Now, after over 40 years, the commission report will be made public after it is tabled in the upcoming session of the Assam assembly.

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma shared the decision in a post on X, announcing several decisions taken at today’s weekly cabinet meeting of Assam cabinet.

Written by OpIndia Staff
Last modified at