Case Explained: Racial Hate Crime Attack In Dehradun Prompts Calls For National Hate Crime Law – Legal Perspective

India

-Gaurav Sharma

A
24-year-old
MBA
student
from
Tripura,
Anjel
Chakma,
has
died
after
an
alleged
racist
stabbing
in
Dehradun,
sparking
anger
across
the
North
East
and
fresh
demands
for
a
national
law
on
hate
crimes.
Five
people
have
been
arrested
so
far,
while
one
more
accused
is
still
on
the
run.

Anjel’s
father,
Tarun
Prasad
Chakma,
has
appealed
to
authorities
in
Uttarakhand
to
guarantee
safety
for
students
from
the
North
East
living
in
Dehradun.
Tarun
has
urged
the
district
administration
and
Chief
Minister
Pushkar
Singh
Dhami
to
act
so
that
similar
attacks
do
not
happen
again.

Racial
attack
on
Tripura
student
in
Dehradun
shocks
North
East

Speaking
to
CNN-News18,
Tarun
described
how
Anjel
was
first
abused
and
then
assaulted
while
out
shopping.
He
said
his
child
had
stepped
out
to
buy
vegetables
when
a
group
allegedly
targeted
Anjel
with
racial
slurs,
which
then
escalated
into
a
brutal
attack
involving
repeated
stabbing
and
beatings.

Tarun
said
the
attackers
came
on
a
motorcycle
and
began
taunting
Anjel
with
slurs
linked
to
appearance.
According
to
Tarun,
the
confrontation
turned
violent
when
Anjel
objected.
“My
child
had
gone
to
buy
vegetables.
The
accused
had
come
on
a
bike.
The
main
accused,
who
is
from
Dehradun,
along
with
others,
hurled
racial
abuses.
When
Anjel
opposed,
he
was
beaten
to
death,” Tarun
said.

What
witnesses
say
about
the
Dehradun
racial
attack
on
Tripura
student

The
assault
took
place
on
9
December
at
a
market
in
Dehradun,
where
Anjel
and
younger
brother
Michael
were
reportedly
stopped
by
a
group
of
men.
Witnesses
said
the
men
mocked
the
siblings
by
calling
them
“Chinese”,
triggering
an
argument
in
the
crowded
local
marketplace.

Friends
later
recounted
that
Anjel
tried
to
respond
calmly
to
the
taunts
and
asserted
identity.
“We
are
not
Chinese.
We
are
Indians.
What
certificate
should
we
show
to
prove
that?”
he
reportedly
said.
Soon
afterwards,
the
situation
turned
violent,
and
knives
were
allegedly
used
against
the
brothers
while
the
abuse
continued.

Tripura
student’s
injuries,
hospital
battle
and
impact
on
North
East
students

During
the
attack,
Anjel
suffered
deep
wounds
to
the
neck
and
spine,
according
to
those
close
to
the
family.
Michael
also
sustained
serious
injuries
and
is
still
undergoing
treatment.
A
close
friend,
who
remained
at
the
hospital
through
Anjel’s
treatment,
said,
“He
was
calm
and
friendly.
None
of
us
can
believe
this
happened,”
capturing
the
disbelief
among
classmates.

Tarun
mentioned
that
the
parents
of
some
accused
had
tried
to
reach
out
while
Anjel
was
in
hospital,
but
Tarun
could
not
hold
conversations
at
that
time.
Anjel
fought
for
life
for
15
days
before
dying.
The
body
was
flown
to
Agartala
on
a
Saturday,
where
grief
spread
through
Nandanagar
in
Unakoti
district
and
across
other
northeastern
states.

Arrests,
investigation
and
calls
for
racial
attack
law
for
North
East
students

Police
in
Dehradun
have
arrested
five
suspects
linked
to
the
killing
of
the
Tripura
student.
Two
of
those
arrested
are
minors
and
have
been
sent
to
a
juvenile
reform
home.
One
more
accused
remains
absconding,
and
investigators
have
announced
a
reward
of
Rs
25,000
for
information
leading
to
that
person’s
arrest.

The
absconding
suspect
is
believed
to
have
fled
towards
Nepal,
and
a
police
team
has
been
sent
there
to
search.
Student
groups
across
the
North
East
have
launched
protests
over
the
Dehradun
racial
attack,
demanding
a
national
law
specifically
addressing
racial
hate
crimes.
Student
organisations
in
Dehradun
are
also
pressing
for
better
protection
and
dignity
for
learners
from
every
region.

Tarun’s
appeal
has
become
central
to
these
protests,
as
many
students
from
the
North
East
study
in
cities
like
Dehradun.
Tarun
said,
“I
don’t
want
any
child
or
student
from
the
North
East
to
go
through
this,”
reflecting
wider
concerns
over
safety,
racial
profiling
and
the
need
for
strong
preventive
action
from
authorities.