DESAM condemns racist killing of Tripura student, seeks time-bound justice and national action

The Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur has expressed deep anguish and outrage over the death of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old student from Tripura, who succumbed to injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on December 25. 2025.
In a press statement issued by DESAM Secretary General N. Thoithoiba, the organisation stated that the incident was not an isolated crime but a disturbing reflection of systemic racism, social exclusion and prolonged neglect faced by people from the Northeastern region in different parts of the country.
According to details cited from the first information report, the incident occurred on December 9, 2025, when Anjel Chakma and his brother were purchasing household items in the Selakui area of Dehradun. The statement said a group of intoxicated men allegedly hurled racial and caste-based slurs at them. When Anjel Chakma protested against the abuse, the attackers reportedly assaulted him with rods and knives, inflicting grievous injuries. He remained under treatment for sixteen days before succumbing.
DESAM stated that the brutality of the attack exposed the entrenched prejudice and hostility routinely faced by people from the Northeastern states, despite the region being an integral part of the Indian Union. The organisation noted that racial profiling, verbal abuse, physical violence and social alienation have become common experiences for Northeastern citizens living, studying or working outside their home states, with their identity and sense of belonging often questioned.
The student body asserted that the death of Anjel Chakma highlighted serious institutional failures in ensuring safety, dignity and equality, and raised concerns over public apathy, inadequate preventive mechanisms and delays in delivering justice in cases involving racial violence.
DESAM strongly condemned the attack and demanded immediate, transparent and time-bound justice. It called for the arrest and prosecution of the accused under stringent legal provisions and urged both the Uttarakhand government and the central authorities to ensure accountability and provide adequate support and compensation to the bereaved family.
The organisation further urged the Government of India to recognise racism against Northeastern people as a serious national issue and to initiate sustained awareness programmes, incorporate anti-racism education in curricula, sensitise law enforcement agencies and establish robust institutional mechanisms to address discrimination and hate crimes.
Stating that Anjel Chakma’s death should not be reduced to a statistic, DESAM said justice in the case must serve as a turning point and reaffirmed its solidarity with the bereaved family and the people of the Northeast, reiterating that racism has no place in society.