Manipur students’ body condemns racist killing of Tripura student in Dehradun

The Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) on January 5, has expressed strong anguish and outrage over the alleged racist killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old student from Tripura, who succumbed to his injuries on December 25, 2025, after battling for life for 16 days in a hospital in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
DESAM said the incident was not an isolated crime but a reflection of systemic racism, social exclusion and continued neglect faced by people from Northeast India in other parts of the country.
According to the FIR, the incident occurred on December 9, 2025, when Anjel Chakma and his brother were purchasing household items in the Selakui area of Dehradun. A group of intoxicated men allegedly hurled racial and caste-based slurs at them. When Anjel protested, the attackers reportedly assaulted him with rods and knives, leaving him critically injured.
DESAM stated that the brutality of the attack highlights the deep-rooted prejudice faced by people from the Northeast, who are often subjected to racial profiling, verbal abuse, physical violence and social alienation despite being citizens of the Indian Union.
“The questioning of our ‘Indianness’ and the normalisation of racial slurs against Northeastern people is deeply disturbing,” DESAM said, adding that such incidents expose the failure of society and institutions to ensure safety, dignity and equality for all citizens.
The student body strongly condemned the attack and demanded immediate, transparent and time-bound justice for Anjel Chakma. It called for the arrest and prosecution of all accused under the strictest provisions of law, and urged the Uttarakhand government and central authorities to ensure accountability throughout the investigation. DESAM also sought adequate support and compensation for the bereaved family.
Further, the organisation urged the Government of India to recognise racism against Northeastern people as a serious national issue. It called for sustained awareness campaigns, inclusion of anti-racism education in academic curricula, sensitisation of law enforcement agencies, and the establishment of robust institutional mechanisms to address discrimination and hate crimes.
“Racist naming is not freedom of speech; it is a failure of ethical and civic responsibility,” DESAM said, asserting that Anjel Chakma’s death must not be reduced to another statistic.
Expressing solidarity with the victim’s family and the people of the Northeast, DESAM said justice for Anjel Chakma would be justice for the entire region, reiterating that racism has no place in India.