Case Explained: Killing of Anjel Chakma a racial hate crime, says Prof Salim Engineer, calls for strong action and national anti-hate law – Legal Perspective

India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind vice-president Prof Salim Engineer has strongly condemned the brutal killing of Anjel Chakma, an MBA student from Tripura, who was lynched in Dehradun recently, calling the incident a hate crime rooted in racial prejudice against people from the Northeast. He has demanded the swift arrest of the accused and a strong national anti-hate law.

Expressing deep anguish over the killing, Prof Salim said the attack reflected a dangerous mindset that denies equal belonging and citizenship to fellow Indians on the basis of region, ethnicity, or appearance. He stressed that such violence exposes a serious moral and institutional failure to uphold the fundamental right to life, dignity, and security for all citizens.

“When racial slurs escalate into mob violence and lynching, it is not just individual brutality but also a sign of institutional weakness in preventing, identifying, and prosecuting hate-driven crimes,” he said in a media statement. According to him, this failure emboldens anti-social elements, creating a sense of impunity and allowing a cycle of hate crimes to continue unchecked.

Citing the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Prof Salim said Islam unequivocally rejects racial superiority and discrimination. He recalled the Prophet’s declaration that no Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, and no white over black, except by righteousness, describing it as a universal moral principle that affirms human equality and dignity.

Prof  Salim urged the Uttarakhand government and police to act decisively in the case by ensuring the swift arrest of all those involved, invoking the strongest legal provisions, protecting survivors and witnesses, and providing justice and compensation to the bereaved family.

He also called for urgent national introspection, stressing the need for a comprehensive national law to address racial and hate-based violence. “A society that tolerates racism weakens its unity and undermines its moral foundation,” he said, adding that the tragic killing of Anjel Chakma must serve as a wake-up call for the nation.