Just about three months after the Nellie tragedy, exactly 40 years ago on February 18, 1983, evidence emerged that an officer of the Assam Police had indeed sent out a specific, written warning that armed mobs of Lalung tribals were gathering around Muslim villages.
The message — later published on the cover of the India Today issue dated May 15, 1983 — read in all capitals (often the language of police wireless): “INFORMATION RECEIVED THAT L/NIGHT ABOUT ONE THOUSAND ASSAMESE OF SURROUNDING VILLAGES OF NELLIE WITH DEADLY WEAPONS ASSEMBLED AT NELLIE BY BEATING OF DRUMS (.) MINORITY PEOPLES ARE IN PANIC
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