Tripura student killing: Uttarakhand police send team to Nepal to nab sixth accused

Dehradun: As outrage mounted over the killing of a Tripura student in Dehradun in an alleged racist attack, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday said such incidents were unacceptable and the government would deal strictly with the culprits.

Police announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for the only absconding accused, a resident of Nepal, and said they have sent a team to the neighbouring country, while five others, including two juveniles, have been apprehended.

The police said 24-year-old Angel Chakma, a resident of Unakoti district of Tripura, and his younger brother Michael had an argument with Suraj Khawas (22), a resident of Manipur currently living in Dehradun, and his five friends in Selakui market on December 9. The accused allegedly attacked Angel with knives and brass knuckles, and he succumbed to injuries at the hospital on December 26.

Angel's father, Tarun Chakma, who is posted in Manipur with the Border Security Force (BSF), alleged that "racial slurs" were hurled at his son by the accused who called him "Chinese".

The attackers called his sons "Chinese momo" and other racial slurs, the father of the victim told PTI over the phone. Angel told them that he "was also Indian, not Chinese", but they attacked him with knives and blunt objects, the devastated father said.

However, the police have denied that the case involves "racial abuse". Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said, "One of the accused involved in the case is a resident of Manipur." The police here said that five of the six allegedly involved in the incident on December 9 have already been held, while Yagyaraj Awasthi, a resident of Kanchanpur district of Nepal, is absconding.

They said a reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for his arrest, and police teams are conducting raids at various places to apprehend him. A police team has also been sent to Nepal.

Expressing grief over the death of the student from Tripura, Chief Minister Dhami said such incidents are unacceptable in the state and the government will deal strictly with unruly elements. He asserted that the state government is committed to the safety and security of every citizen residing in Uttarakhand.

The chief minister said that instructions have been given to the police for the speedy arrest of the absconding accused, and he will soon be in police custody.

"Those who play with law and order should not expect any mercy from the government. Such unruly elements will not be spared at any cost," he said.

Angel's father, Tarun Chakma, speaking from his village Machmara in Tripura, alleged that police initially refused to register a report about the incident involving his sons in the Selakui area and only filed an FIR two to three days later after pressure from the All India Chakma Students Union and senior officers.

The police said that based on the complaint filed by Michael Chakma on December 12, a case was registered against the accused under sections 115(2), 118, and 351(3) (for bodily harm and threats) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation was started.

Later, based on Angel's medical report, Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the BNS was added to the case, and five accused were apprehended the same day, two of whom are minors.

The police said that after Angel's death, sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (joint liability) of the BNS have been added to the charges against the accused.

Besides Khawas, the arrested accused have been identified as Avinash Negi (25) and Sumit (25).

Angel was a final-year MBA student at a university here.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said he spoke to his Uttarakhand counterpart Dhami, who has assured him of action against the culprits.

Terming the incident as tragic and unexpected, he said, "The Delhi leadership, who are aware of the incident, has also passed necessary directions to the state (Uttarakhand) government to act on the case to ensure justice for the victim's family." Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said that the murderers of Angel Chakma would get due punishment.

"I have personally spoken to the family members of the victim on Saturday. We will ensure that the murderers get due punishment. I request all, including Youth Tipra Federation (YTF) members, to assist the family in their moment of grief," he wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

The TMP is an ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma also condemned the incident.

"Anjel Chakma from Tripura lost his life after facing brutal racial abuse in Dehradun. This is heartbreaking and unacceptable. Racial violence must not be tolerated. People from the North East are as Indian as every citizen of this country (sic).

"Racism should never be normalized, and the perpetrators must be punished. My deepest condolences to Anjel’s family and loved ones. May his soul rest in peace," Sangma said in a post on X on Sunday.