Tripura Student’s Death Sparks Dispute as Family Alleges Racist Abuse, Police Deny Evidence

Family Alleges Racial Abuse in Tripura Student’s Death

The death of Anjel Chakma, a student from Tripura’s Unakoti district, has sparked sharp disagreement between his family and the police. While the family has accused the attackers of racially abusing and assaulting him in Uttarakhand, the police have said they have not found evidence to support claims of racial violence.

Chakma, a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, died on December 26 after remaining hospitalised for 17 days. His family alleged that a group of youths attacked him on December 9 when he stepped in to protect his younger brother, who they say faced racial slurs. The family claimed the attackers used derogatory terms, including “Chinese momo,” and assaulted Chakma with knives and blunt objects after he objected to the remarks.

The victim’s father, a Border Security Force (BSF) personnel currently posted in Manipur, said his son told the attackers that he was Indian, not Chinese, before the violence escalated. Chakma’s uncle also described the incident as a clear case of racism, contradicting the police version.

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Police Say Probe Found No Proof of Racial Motive

The Dehradun Police said the incident stemmed from an argument that escalated after Chakma objected to what officers described as “banter” during a gathering near a liquor shop. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh said the police reviewed social media claims suggesting a racial motive but found no evidence of racial abuse so far.

Singh said the First Information Report does not mention racial bias and added that no complaints of racial abuse were made between the day of the incident and Chakma’s death. He said a heated exchange between two groups during a birthday gathering in the Selaqui area led to a violent clash, in which both Anjel Chakma and his brother suffered injuries. Chakma later died from severe spinal and neck injuries.

Police have taken five of the six accused named in the FIR into custody. Authorities sent two minors to a correctional home and placed three others under judicial custody. Police are searching for the sixth accused, Yagyraj Awasthi, a Nepalese national, and have announced a ₹25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.

The SSP said investigators have recorded statements from local residents and collected digital evidence, including CCTV footage. He added that the police are conducting the investigation in a fair and transparent manner and will take strict legal action based on the findings.

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