Tripura MBA student dies after confronting youths over Chinese racial slur in Dehradun
DEHRADUN: A wave of outrage has swept across the Northeast following the death of a promising MBA student from Tripura, who succumbed to injuries sustained in an alleged brutal assault in Dehradun after confronting a group of youths over racial slurs. Twenty-four-year-old Angel Chakma, an MBA student, died on Saturday after battling for his life on a ventilator for 14 days. The incident occurred on the evening of December 9 in the Selaqui area of Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand. According to the police, Angel and his younger brother, Michael Chakma, were shopping in a local market when a group of youths hurled racial slurs at them, calling them Chinese. Angel responded calmly, asking, We are not Chinese; we are Indians. What certificate do we need to show to prove our Indian identity? Police said the response enraged the assailants, and within minutes the verbal altercation escalated into a violent stabbing attack. Both brothers sustained serious injuries, with Angel suffering critical wounds to his neck and spine. He remained unconscious on a ventilator until his death. Michael Chakma also sustained serious injuries in the attack. Angels body was flown to Agartala on Saturday, where it was received amid an atmosphere of profound grief and anger. The Uttarakhand government has taken a serious view of the incident. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued a stern warning against such acts. Such incidents are unacceptable in our state, CM Dhami said. The government will deal strictly with elements of anarchy. Those involved in such heinous acts will not be spared. Those who tamper with law and order should not expect any mercy from this government. Station House Officer P D Bhatt confirmed that the case has been upgraded from assault to murder following the students death. Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the crime. However, the main accused, Yagya Awasthi, remains absconding, with police suspecting that he has fled to Nepal. A reward of 25,000 has been announced for information leading to his arrest, and two police teams are actively searching for him. Police sources said the initial altercation stemmed from a dispute over the purchase of liquor from a local vendor. Among those arrested, two are minors. Following Angels death, the police intensified the charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, registering the case under sections related to murder (BNS Section 103(1)) and common criminal intention (BNS 3(5)). The death has triggered widespread protests by student organisations across Tripura and other Northeastern states, with demonstrators demanding the enactment of a national law specifically targeting crimes driven by racial hatred.
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