๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐ข: ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐๐ค๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐
Students from theย Northeastย on Wednesday held a protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding justice for Tripura nativeย Anjel Chakma, who died after sustaining stab injuries in Dehradun last month.
Hundreds of students participated in the demonstration organised by the Northeast Studentsโ Society of Delhi University (NESSDU), along with other student bodies, seeking a comprehensive probe into the killing and stronger safeguards against racial violence.
Chakma (24), a resident of Unakoti district in Tripura and an MBA student, suffered critical injuries on December 9 after a group of six allegedly attacked him in Dehradun when he objected to racial slurs directed at him and his younger brother. He died on December 26 after undergoing treatment.
Dehradun police have arrested five of the six accused, while the remaining suspect, Yagyaraj Awasthi of Nepalโs Kanchanpur district, remains absconding.
Speaking to a news agency, NESSDU president Pointing Thokchom demanded to hand over the case to the CBI and that adequate compensation be provided to the victimโs family. He also called for a specific law to protect students from the Northeast against racial abuse and attacks.
All India Chakma Studentsโ Union vice-president Bipul Chakma alleged delays by the Uttarakhand administration in initiating the investigation.
He said Chakmaโs father contacted him, prompting him to travel to Dehradun on December 11, as the family initially received little support.
โRacial abuse against Northeast students is recurring. This cycle must end,โ he said.
Protesters alleged that police delayed registering the FIR by three days and took no action against the officials responsible for the lapse. They also accused Graphic Era Hospital of failing to promptly inform the police after admitting Chakma to the ICU on December 9.
The demonstrators claimed authorities later attempted to shift blame onto the victimโs family.
In a joint statement, Northeast student organisations said Chakmaโs family has sought a CBI probe and transfer of the trial to Delhi, citing concerns over witness safety. The groups also demanded the creation of a dedicated police unit in Uttarakhand on the lines of Delhi Policeโs Special Police Unit for the North-Eastern Region (SPUNER), along with awareness programmes on the history and culture of the Northeast.
The protesters said the killing was not an isolated incident and recalled previous attacks on Northeast students, including the death of Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Tania in Delhi. They also alleged that key recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee on addressing racial discrimination remain unimplemented.
The students submitted a charter of demands to the Centre and the Uttarakhand government, seeking a CBI inquiry within 48 hours, transfer of the trial to Delhi, strict action against erring officials, fast-track courts, dedicated helplines, police sensitisation, educational reforms, and time-bound implementation of all Bezbaruah Committee recommendations.
