North Kamrup violence

The North Kamrup violence was a series of violent incidents in North Kamrup, Assam, on 4–5 January 1980 between those who supported the Assam Movement and those who opposed it.^[1][2][3] Triggered by the death of a high school student, a member of the AASU, it led to a series of attacks and counter-attacks between Assamese and immigrant villages leading to a curfew.^[4]

North Kamrup violence
Location	North Kamrup, Assam, India
Date	3 January 1980 (UTC+5:30)
Target	pro- and anti- Assam Movement
Attack type	Group clash
Weapons	Guns, spears, swords, and scythes.
Perpetrators	Assamese/Immigrant villagers

According to the Citizenship Rights Preservation Committee, representing Bengali-speaking people, the violence was directed against linguistic, religio-linguistic, ethnic minorities and members of the CPI, CPI(M) and CPI(ML) political parties who opposed the Assam Movement.^[5] Many of the victims were Miya and it is alleged that the Army committed atrocities on Assamese villagers during the curfew.^[6] This was the first reported large-scale group clash during the Assam Movement.^[7]

Background

See also: Assam Movement and Na Asamiya

In some districts of lower Assam, Bengali Hindus have experienced violence directed against on the linguistic and cultural identity of the Assamese people.^[8] Bengali speaking people were often harassed as foreigners and became the target of violence during the anti-Bengali movement in Assam.^[9]

At the beginning of the movement, many Muslim students of East Bengali origin supported and joined the movement^[10] as Assamese speakers (see Na Asamiya).^[a][11][10] Eventually, many began to reclaim their Muslim and Bengali identity.^[10]

Violence and victimisation

According to one version, on 3 January 1980, a group of students of Baganpara High School were attacked while visiting Barikadanga to supervise a three-day strike in response to a call given by the AASU for supporting the anti-Bengali movement.^[9] According to another version, the students went there to raise money for the anti-Bengali movement.^{[citation needed]}

Read also

• Bongal Kheda
• Goreswar massacre
• Mandai massacre