Northeast Congress youth body meets Anjel Chakma’s family, seeks death penalty for accused

A delegation of the North East Youth Congress Coordination Committee (NEYCCC) on January 3 met the family of Anjel Chakma, the 24-year-old student who died after being attacked in Uttarakhand last month for objecting to a racial slur.

The eight-member team visited the victim’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma, at their residence in Machmara village of Tripura’s Unakoti district, offering condolences and assuring the family of continued support.

Tripura Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Neel Kamal Saha said the visit was carried out “following an instruction from Rahul Gandhi”, adding that the party leadership had taken serious note of the circumstances in which Anjel Chakma was targeted. “What has happened can’t be undone, but we stand by the family in the hours of extreme grief,” Saha told reporters.

Anjel Chakma, who had gone to Dehradun to pursue an MBA course, was allegedly assaulted by six men on December 9 after protesting against a racial remark. He succumbed to his injuries on December 26.

Describing the incident as a clear case of racial discrimination, Saha said the Uttarakhand government must ensure the “strictest punishment” for those involved. He added that the case highlighted the continued vulnerability of people from the Northeast to racial abuse outside the region and called for firm action to prevent such crimes.