Opinion February 20, 1983, Forty Years Ago: Massacre in Assam

In a ghastly replay of the Mandai massacre, at least 500 persons were killed by frenzied tribal hordes in a cluster of villages spreading north to the foothills around Nelli village near Jagiroad in Nowgong district. The violence continued through the night and fresh incidents were reported from the interior. With the situation getting out of control, four columns of army troops marched into the area in the evening and took over medical aid to the injured, to begin with, official sources said. On a visit to four of the 15 affected villages, 353 bodies were found. Five hundred would appear to be a conservative estimate.

Territorial division

If the Akalis agree to the present proposal of the Union government on the territorial issue, there may be a settlement soon. The proposal envisages division of Chandigarh city between Punjab and Haryana in a 60:40 ratio and referring disputed areas including Abohar and Fazilka, to a commission for its verdict. The Haryana Chief Minister, Bhajan Lal, had given a proposal for the equal division of Chandigarh between Punjab and Haryana and the referring of all other disputed areas to a commission.

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Seattle shooting

Thirteen people, mostly elderly Asian men, were massacred execution-style in a mass shooting at a private gambling club in the Chinatown district on the edge of downtown Seattle. The victims apparently were bound before they were slain, the police said. A 14th man, who crawled into an alley outside and attracted a passerby’s attention, was hospitalised with gunshot wounds.

India vs Jamaica

The Indian cricketers were 12 without loss in their second innings 79 runs in arrears, at lunch on the third day of their four-day match against Jamaica.