‘I’m Indian’: How racial attack that killed Tripura student unfolded

Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old from Tripura, was soon going to start working with a French multinational. The year that was supposed to be a milestone for the young man has ended in tragedy. Anjel Chakma has died in Dehradun after being stabbed in what his family describes as a racially motivated attack.  

Anjel Chakma, who was in the final year of his MBA, was targeted along with his younger brother, Michael, by a group of six youths on December 9. The confrontation started after the alleged attackers hurled racial slurs at Michael. Anjel Chakma was stabbed with knives and hit with a kada, leaving him critically injured.  

After battling for 17 days in a hospital, he succumbed to the injuries on December 26. His younger brother remains critical, according to reports.     

Here is what we know about the incident.   

What happened on December 9?

On December 9, Anjel Chakma and his younger brother, Michael, 21, stepped out to buy vegetables in the Selaqui area of Dehradun. The brothers were reportedly confronted by six youths, including two juveniles. The alleged assailants hurled racial slurs at them, calling them “Chinese and momos”.      

Anjel Chakma hit back, saying, “We are not Chinese… We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?”, according to a Times of India report.

The matter escalated, and the six men started assaulting the brothers. Anjel Chakma was stabbed with knives and a kada. He suffered severe blows to his head, neck, and back and was critically injured.    

Tarun Chakma, Anjel and Michael’s father and a BSF jawan currently posted in Manipur’s Tangjeng, said that his two sons had gone to a local market when a group of six people on a scooter and a motorcycle stopped them,  NDTV  reports. 

“They said something and suddenly pushed Michael to the ground, and when Anjel tried to stop them, they began hurling racial slurs at him,” adding that the “group of men called my son ‘Chinese momo’ and other slurs”.  

Kwthar Debbarma, secretary of the Uttarakhand Tripura Students’ Association, who closely supported the family, said that the brothers tried to leave the spot. “The two decided to leave – Anjel had even started his motorcycle – but the men hit Michael on the head. Anjel got down and resisted the attack, but the accused had a knife and stabbed him,” he alleged. 

“Anjel’s neck was broken in the attack, which led to his death,” the father said.  

According to the clinical examination of the hospital, where Anjel Chakma was admitted, he suffered a right-sided paralysis after the attack. There was a laceration on his back and another on the occipital region of his head, reports  India Today.  

He suffered multiple abrasions on his foot, and the power on the right side of his body was completely lost, in both upper and lower limbs, with accompanying sensory deficits. The medical report pointed to injuries to his spinal cord and fissures in the brain.   

Tarun Chakma also alleged that the police did not timely register a report about the incident. The family highlighted the delay, adding that a complaint was filed on December 10, a day after the attack, an FIR was registered on December 12, and arrests were made on December 14. The police started taking action after intervention by the All India Chakma Students Union and senior officials.

Have arrests been made in the case?  

A case was registered on December 12 after a complaint was filed by Michael Chakma, according to police. Uttarakhand Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the attack, including three adults, Suraj Khwas (22) from Manipur, Avinash Negi (25), and Sumit (25), along with two juveniles.

The sixth accused is reportedly absconding in Nepal. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information leading to the arrest of the fugitive, and a team has been dispatched to Nepal, reports  CNN-News18.

Senior sub-inspector Jitendra Kumar of Selaqui police station said on Sunday, “Yagya Awasthi, the prime accused, is suspected to have fled to Nepal. Two police teams have been dispatched to track and nab him.”  

After Anjel’s death, additional BNS sections-103 (1) (murder)and Section 3(5) (committing a crime with common intention) have been added against the accused.    

According to Tarun Chakma, the parents of the accused had tried to contact him, but he was unable to speak to them as Anjel was hospitalised at the time.  

He urged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to ensure the safety and security of students from the Northeast living in Dehradun. “I don’t want any child or student from the North East to go through this,” he was quoted as saying by  CNN-News18.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha held a conversation with his Uttarakhand counterpart. Saha said, “The CM informed me that, in connection with the case, five accused have already been arrested. Further investigation is underway, and he has assured that justice will be delivered.” 

Dhami strongly condemned the incident as “unacceptable in the state”. He added, “The government will deal strictly with anti-social elements, and those involved in such crimes will not be spared. The police are conducting raids to nab the absconding accused.” 

What do we know about Anjel Chakma?

Anjel Chakma was weeks away from finishing his MBA degree and starting a job at a French multinational. He hailed from the Unakoti district in Tripura and was a day scholar at Jigyasa University in Dehradun. He was a bright student and a football enthusiast. His family, teachers and peers remember him fondly. 

“[Anjel] Chakma was a brilliant and promising boy,” said Momen Chakma, the man’s uncle, adding that the family members are in disbelief over the tragic loss.   

“He was a bright student. His family is not particularly wealthy; a typical middle-class family like many others in Tripura. He took a student loan to study MBA in Uttarakhand and was about to sit for his final semester exams on December 10, just a day after he was beaten horribly by men who looked at his racial identity more than him,” he told  The Indian Express. 

Dr Vivek D Singh, the dean of Jigyasa University, remembered Anjel Chakma as “an active student” who “excelled” in football. “As it was the third semester, he sat in on a few placement interviews and was among a few students to have already received an offer. He was excited.”  

Dr Shankar Ramamoorthy, vice-chancellor of the institute, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, “We visited him, and he told me that he was apprehensive about missing his exams. He even told me that he has high bone density and will get well in no time. All of us held out that hope.” He also said that faculty will ensure that the campus is sensitised to be more accommodating to Northeast students.   

A friend said that Anjel was one of the calmest, friendliest people. “We are all broken by what happened.”   

With inputs from agencies