Agartala, Dec 30: The National Human Rights Commission on Monday took cognisance of the alleged racially motivated killing of a student from Tripura in Dehradun and issued notices to the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police, directing them to submit a detailed action taken report within seven days.
The commission also directed that copies of the proceedings be sent to the Uttarakhand chief secretary and the director general of police, while instructing the state administration to ensure the safety of students from the North-Eastern region across Uttarakhand.
The case related to the death of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, who was allegedly assaulted by a group of youths on December 9. He remained under treatment for more than two weeks before succumbing to his injuries on December 26. Reports indicated that the attack involved sharp weapons and blunt objects.
According to a complaint placed before the commission, the incident occurred when Anjel intervened to protect his younger brother, who was allegedly subjected to racial abuse. His father, a Border Security Force jawan currently posted in Manipur, stated that the attackers used derogatory slurs such as “Chinese” and “Chinese momo”. When Anjel asserted that he was Indian, the assault allegedly followed.
An NHRC bench, presided over by member Priyank Kanoongo, examined the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, and observed that the allegations pointed to a racially driven attack on a student from the North-East studying outside his home state. The proceedings noted that the victim was targeted with racial insults and attacked after affirming his identity as an Indian citizen.
The commission recorded that the complaint reflected deeper concerns of racial discrimination against people from the North-East and suggested a failure on the part of local authorities to prevent violence and provide adequate protection. It held that the allegations disclosed a prima facie violation of the victim’s rights to life, dignity and equality.
The NHRC directed its registry to formally seek reports from the Dehradun district administration and police within a week. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the victim’s father and assured that those responsible would face strict action. The incident has triggered wider political reactions, with leaders across parties calling for sustained measures to address hate crimes targeting people from the North-Eastern states.
