Northeast Students Protest in Delhi Demanding Justice for Anjel Chakma

Protest at Jantar Mantar

NEW DELHI, Jan 1: On Wednesday, students hailing from the Northeast gathered at Jantar Mantar to demand justice for Anjel Chakma, a Tripura student who tragically succumbed to a stab wound in Dehradun.

The protest saw participation from hundreds of students enrolled at Delhi University, organized by the Northeast Students' Society of Delhi University (NESSDU), who are calling for a comprehensive investigation into Chakma's death.

Anjel Chakma, aged 24 and originally from Unakoti district in Tripura, was attacked by a group of six individuals after he confronted them regarding racial insults directed at him and his younger brother on December 9. He passed away from his injuries on December 26.

Authorities in Dehradun have apprehended five of the six suspects involved in the incident, while one, Yagyaraj Awasthi, from Kanchanpur district in Nepal, remains at large.

In a statement to the media, NESSDU president Pointing Thokchom expressed, "We urge that the case be handed over to the CBI and that the family receives adequate compensation. There is a pressing need for legislation to safeguard Northeast students from racial discrimination and violence."

Bipul Chakma, vice-president of the All India Chakma Students' Union, criticized the Uttarakhand administration for its slow response to the investigation, which led to the students' assembly at Jantar Mantar in pursuit of justice.

"I traveled to Dehradun on December 11 after receiving a call from Anjel Chakma's father, as no assistance was forthcoming. I have personally faced racial discrimination at DU. We are determined to end this cycle of racial abuse and violence against students from the Northeast," he stated.