By Arun Pratap SinghGarhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Dec: The murder of Tripura student Angel Chakma in Dehradun has taken a complex turn with sharply conflicting versions emerging from the victim’s family and the Uttarakhand Police. As a result, serious questions have emerged regarding whether the crime involved a racial hate element. While the bereaved family has consistently claimed before the media that Angel was targeted in a racially motivated attack, the police are categorically denying this angle following the probe thus far. The police, say that they have been probing the case as a hate crime, but so far, no such angle has emerged so far in the investigation. The contrasting claims have fuelled public debate not just in Uttarakhand but across the country with the incident hitting headlines across the world.
Protest rallies and candle marches are being held in Dehradun and elsewhere condemning the racism. Questions have also arisen whether the issue is being escalated through exaggerated assertions, while others argue that a bereaved family would have no reason to create a false narrative by levelling such specific allegations. The police, also meanwhile insist they have no reason to suppress facts, stating that the whole truth will become evident only after the investigation is concluded.
It may be recalled that Angel Chakma was attacked by a group of young men in the evening of 9 December. He was accompanied by his younger brother Michael Chakma and two friends. He was on his way to a grocery store to purchase essentials. According to the family’s account, a group of youths allegedly began abusing them with racial slurs. When Michael objected, the youths reportedly turned aggressive and began assaulting him. Angel intervened to shield his brother, following which the situation escalated and he was reportedly attacked with a knife. Michael rushed Angel to hospital, where he battled for his life for 17 days before succumbing to his injuries on 26 December. In the wake of widespread outrage, the police finally arrested five accused persons, though the main accused is still absconding. Surprisingly, one of the accused is stated to be from Manipur and another one from Nepal with the others are locals.
The victim’s family, along with several organisations including the All India Chakma Students’ Union, has described the incident as a hate crime and demanded justice. A video recorded while Angel was undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit has gone viral, in which Michael recounted the sequence of events. He claimed that near Nanda Ki Chowki, a group of intoxicated youths began harassing him using racial slurs such as ‘Chinki’. When he questioned their conduct, they allegedly assaulted him with a bracelet. Angel’s attempt to intervene reportedly led to him being stabbed in the spine, resulting in grave injuries that left him unable to walk and paralysed on the right side. The victim’s maternal uncle further alleged that Angel had pleaded with the attackers, saying they were Indians and questioning why they were being called Chinese and ‘Chinki’, but his words went unheeded. He claimed the assault was extremely brutal, with severe injuries to Angel’s neck and a large quantity of blood found at the spot by the police the next day.
On the other hand, SSP, Dehradun, Ajai Singh has stated that the investigation is still at a preliminary stage and is being conducted on the basis of the initial complaint. He said the case was first registered under sections relating to attempt to murder and that five suspects have been arrested. According to him, interrogation and early investigation have so far not revealed any evidence of racial abuse. The SSP also rejected the allegations that the police had failed to register a case, clarifying that the formal complaint was filed about 24 hours after the incident. He added that one of the accused, stated to be of Nepalese origin, is still absconding, while the arrested persons include individuals from Manipur and the Boksa community. He also pointed out that neither the original application nor the FIR mentioned racial slurs and that such allegations surfaced around 15 days later, though they are now being examined as part of the probe.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has also taken cognisance of the matter following the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. The NHRC has issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government, seeking a detailed report on the investigation into Angel Chakma’s death and the steps being taken to ensure the safety of students from the North East. Directions have been issued to the Chief Secretary and the DGP Uttarakhand to take appropriate measures for student security. The commission has observed that any negligence in safeguarding students would amount to a violation of human rights and could invite strict action.
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