Dehradun Police rule out racial angle in Tripura student’s death, despite family's statements

The Dehradun Police on Tuesday said their investigation into the death of Tripura student Anjel Chakma has, so far, found no evidence of racial abuse, maintaining that the fatal assault followed a dispute that escalated after the victim objected to remarks made by a group of youths in the Selaqui area.

Addressing reporters, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh said the police had taken note of social media posts attributing a racial motive to the incident but found no material to substantiate such claims at this stage.

“Our investigation so far has found no evidence of racial discrimination or violence,” Singh said, adding that between December 9, the day of the incident, and December 26, when Chakma died during treatment, no complaint of racial abuse was made during interactions with the police. He also said the FIR registered in the case “does not mention any allegations of racial bias”.

Providing details, the SSP said a birthday party was hosted on December 9 by one of the accused, Suraj Khwas, a resident of Manipur. According to police, the deceased and his brother Michael Chakma were on one side, while six persons were part of the other group.

“There was some banter among the guests. The victim’s side found certain remarks offensive, which led to a dispute. In the confusion, the situation escalated,” Singh said.

In the fight that followed, Anjel Chakma and his brother sustained injuries. Anjel suffered fatal injuries to his spine and neck and died during treatment on December 26, after remaining hospitalised for 17 days.

Police said five of the six accused named in the FIR have been apprehended. Two were found to be juveniles and sent to a correction home, while three others are in judicial custody. The sixth accused, Yagyraj Awasthi (22), a Nepalese national, is absconding.

“A non-bailable warrant has been issued against him and a reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced. Our teams are working to trace him,” the SSP said.

However, the police version stands in sharp contrast to allegations made by the victim’s family and several opposition leaders.

Anjel Chakma’s father, Tarun Chakma, a BSF (Border Security Force) jawan currently posted in Manipur, has alleged that his son was “brutally attacked” after he tried to defend his younger brother from racial abuse. The assailants called his sons “Chinese momo” and hurled other racial slurs, he told PTI, adding that Anjel responded by saying he “was also Indian, not Chinese” before being attacked with knives and blunt objects.

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi described the incident as deeply disturbing and said the allegations raised by the family could not be brushed aside lightly. “Young people from the Northeast have repeatedly faced discrimination and violence in different parts of the country. This case reflects a larger, painful pattern that needs serious introspection,” Gogoi said, calling for a transparent probe and sensitivity in handling the matter.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal also weighed in, terming the killing a “shocking display of hate crime and bigotry” and urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to speak out against such incidents.

“The silence of those in power sends a dangerous signal,” Sibal said in a post on X.

Leaders from Tripura, including Chief Minister Manik Saha, have said they are in touch with the Uttarakhand government and have sought strict action against those responsible. Student bodies from the Northeast have also demanded that the case be investigated from all angles, including the alleged use of racial slurs.

Anjel Chakma, a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, hailed from Unakoti district of Tripura. As the probe continues, the case has sparked a wider debate on the safety of students from the Northeast and the need for accountability when allegations of hate-based violence surface.

With inputs from PTI