A 24-year-old student, a final-year MBA student, Anjel Chakma, from Tripura, was attacked by a group of miscreants with knives and other blunt objects in Dehradun on December 9 and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital on December 26.
Anjel Chakma, with his brother, Michael, got into a fight on December 9, with a group of miscreants in Dehradun. According to his family, the accused used racial slurs and called Chakma ‘Chinese’ & ‘momos’before attacking him with knives and brass knuckles after the argument escalated. Chakma succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment on December 26.
According to the law enforcement authorities, the police have taken immediate action and arrested all the criminals involved in the incident. Uttarakhand ADGP Law and Order, Dr V. Murugesan, on Sunday, said “the police have taken immediate action and arrested all the criminals involved. One is still at large, and all efforts are being made to apprehend him. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced, and teams have been formed,” quoted news agency ANI.
Add Zee News as a Preferred Source
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed all District Superintendents of Police to ensure full safety and security for northeastern residents living, working, or studying in the state. The Chief Minister also held a telephonic conversation with Anjel Chakma’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma and ensured ‘strict action in the matter.’
‘We are all Indians’,Father’s urge for equal treatment
Tarun Prasad Chakma, father of Angel Chakma and a BSF personnel, said that the people from the Northeast are Indians too and urged the government to ensure equal treatment.
While speaking to ANI, said “Our children from the Northeast go to various places like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru to work or study, they should not be treated so adversely. We are all Indians as well. I request the government to ensure equal treatment to all.”
He also alleged involvement of the staff of Dehradun hospital, he said, “Maybe the Dehradun hospital staff is involved in the accident. When the operation was happening, the staff said that it was successful, but the treatment was not done properly.”
Political rage in the aftermath of the incident
The incident has sparked political discussions in the political corridors; several leaders from the northeast have condemned the incident. Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed on the urgent need to ensure the safety and protection of people from India’s Northeast region. Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi criticized the government for its ‘delayed response’ in the matter.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi condemned the ‘racial’ incident and accused the BJP of “normalising hate,” which is leading to such incidents. Although BJP leaders have ruled out any political issue, but rather an ‘ideological illness’.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that the ideology promoted by the RSS over the years has fuelled hatred among sections of society, especially the youth. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal called the incident “shocking and heartbreaking”,calling it a shame on the system and demanding strict action along with a national law against racism and hate crimes.
Senior Congress Leader Shashi Tharoor pointed at a wider ideological discrimination towards the people of the Northeast, calling the incident “a national disgrace”. In a post on social media handle X, he wrote, “This is not just a tragedy, it is a national disgrace,” he said, urging citizens to build a society where “no Indian is made to feel foreign in their own land.”
The brutal killing of Aniel Chakwa in Uttarakhand is not just a tragedy—it is a national disgrace. A young man from Tripura, a proud Indian, was racially abused, dehumanized with slurs like “Chinese” and “momo,” and ultimately murdered. This was not an isolated act of violence;… pic.twitter.com/WHmA0m7Q0L
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 29, 2025
Police rule out Racial angle in the incident
As per the initial information, which pointed out a racial angle in the killing of Tripura student Anjel Chakma, although the Uttarakhand police have ruled out the racial angle in the incident.
Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh, who is leading the investigation, stated that the dispute did not arise from any racial remarks. The investigation so far has revealed that both the victim and the attackers are from Northeast India. Therefore, the question of a racial slur does not arise,” Singh said, reported news outlet ETV. According to the interrogation of the accused, the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding.
Also Read: India Initiates Extraditing Process Of Fugitive Hussain Shattaf wanted in Captain Manmohan Singh Virdi Murder Case From UAE
(with agency inputs)
