The Nellie massacre of 1983 stands as the darkest day in India's post-independence history, claiming around 3,000 lives. A journalist recounts the horrifying events and escalating tensions between Assamese and Bengali communities. Witness accounts reveal the chaos and brutality faced by innocent families, highlighting the emotional turmoil and fear gripping the region. The podcast dives deep into the ethnic conflicts that sparked this tragedy, reflecting on its lasting impact on the survivors and the community.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Journalist Guide
Bedabrata Lahkar, a journalist, was asked to guide a TV journalist, Mr. Sharma.
Sharma wanted to film burning buildings amidst unrest in Assam.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Encountering Violence
Three journalists, including Bedabrata Lahkar, set out to document the unrest in Assam.
They encountered a group of young people near smoldering huts.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Standoff at the Stream
Upon reaching a stream, Bedabrata saw around 2000 tribals facing a similar-sized crowd across the water.
Both groups shouted at each other for over half an hour.
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The Nellie massacre on 18 February 1983 was the worst bloodshed in the country since Indian independence in 1947. It is estimated that 3,000 people died that day.
Bedabrata Lahkar was a journalist working for the Assam Tribune newspaper at the time. He tells Gill Kearsley about the events that led up to the massacre and the devastating scenes he witnessed.
A warning this programme contains descriptions of violence and language that some people may find offensive.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.
(Photo: Survivors of the 1983 Assam massacre. Credit: Santosh Basak/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Witness History