A 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who was brutally stabbed after confronting a group of men for hurling racial slurs at him and his younger brother, died in a Dehradun hospital on Friday. Anjel Chakma had been fighting for his life for over 14 days following the violent assault on December 9.
A Fatal Stand Against Racism
The tragic incident unfolded in the Selaqui area of Dehradun, where Anjel and his 21-year-old brother Michael, both students in the city for over a year, had gone for a routine grocery run. They were allegedly stopped and taunted by a group of six men who used derogatory, racist terms against them. Friends recounted that when Anjel calmly corrected them, stating, "We are not Chinese... We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?", the situation escalated violently.
The group responded with knives. Anjel suffered critical injuries to his neck and spine, while Michael was also seriously wounded. A friend who remained at the hospital throughout the ordeal described Anjel as one of the calmest and friendliest people, expressing collective shock and anger over the hate crime.
Outpouring of Grief and Demand for Justice
Anjel's body was flown to Agartala on Saturday, as Tripura erupted in protests and demands for justice. His family received support from Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, chairman of the Tipra Motha Party and a member of Tripura's erstwhile royal family, who had been assisting since the day of the attack.
Speaking on the incident, Debbarma highlighted the tragic irony. "It's tragic that the patriotic people of the northeast are called Chinese and attacked," he said. "Those who hurl racist slurs forget that it is because of the brave people of the northeast that China cannot enter the country." He emphasized that such incidents divide the nation and demanded justice.
Suraj Debbarma, state president of the Youth Tipra Federation, pointed to the regular xenophobic attacks faced by northeastern people in northern India, contrasting it with the welcome extended to students from north Indian states in the northeast. "We lost an innocent soul in a hate crime. That's the tragedy," he stated.
Police Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The case was registered on December 12 based on a complaint filed by the injured brother, Michael Chakma. Police have so far apprehended five of the six accused, including two juveniles, on December 14. However, the main accused, identified as Yagya Awasthi, is suspected to have fled to Nepal.
Senior sub-inspector Jitendra Kumar of Selaqui police station confirmed that two police teams have been dispatched to track down Awasthi, and a reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for his capture. Following Anjel's death, the charges were upgraded. Additional sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) - 103(1) for murder and 3(5) for committing a crime with common intention - have been added.
The legal timeline of the case is as follows:
- Initial FIR (Dec 12): Filed under BNS sections for voluntarily causing hurt, causing hurt by dangerous weapons, and criminal intimidation.
- First Upgrade (Dec 14): Based on doctors' statements, sections for attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy were added.
- Final Upgrade (After death): Murder and common intention charges were included.
The incident has sparked protests in colleges across the northeast, with students and organizations demanding a national law against racial hate crimes. Student groups in Dehradun are also beginning to mobilize and speak out against the violence.
