SHILLONG, DEC 30 (PTI): North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) on Tuesday demanded capital punishment for those responsible for the killing of a 24-year-old student from Tripura in Dehradun and sought the direct intervention of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in the matter. NESO is an umbrella organisation of student organisations from all north eastern states.
In a memorandum to the Uttarakhand chief minister, NESO said Angel Chakma was assaulted and stabbed in Dehradun on December 9 and succumbed to his injuries on December 26 after battling for life for over two weeks in hospital.
His brother, Michael Chakma, was also assaulted during the incident, it said.
The NESO alleged that the attack was racially motivated, with the victims subjected to derogatory and demeaning racial abuse targeting their physical features.
Such incidents, it alleged, were part of a recurring pattern of harassment and violence faced by people from the north east in different parts of the country.
Seeking urgent steps to ensure the safety of students and residents from the region in Dehradun and across Uttarakhand, the NESO urged the state government to implement effective measures to provide mental, social, and physical security through appropriate authorities. Apart from capital punishment for the perpetrators, the organisation demanded the establishment of at least one special police station to deal exclusively with cases of racial discrimination and atrocities against people from the north east.
NESO also called for the enactment of a stringent anti-racism law, saying the existing legal framework was inadequate to address crimes rooted in racial and ethnic discrimination.
The organisation said it hoped for immediate action from the Uttarakhand government to ensure justice and prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Ex-PAN, NPP state unit flay ‘racial killing’ of Anjel
DIMAPUR, DEC 30 (NPN): Ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) and National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland state unit have, in separate statements, strongly condemned the brutal attack on Anjel Chakma, a student from Tripura, in Dehradun, which led to his death.
In a press release, Ex-PAN president Joshua Sumi and general secretary Tarie Zeliang expressed shock and anger over the “racial murder” of Anjel Chakma, calling it “extremely alarming and highly condemnable.” Ex-PAN said the association joined the North East region in condemning the act and stressed that race and appearance did not define citizenship.
Highlighting the North East region’s contributions to nation-building, Ex-PAN said citizens from the region deserved equal treatment and protection.
The association called for urgent action by the Government of India to address rising racial attacks and ensure safety for Northeasterners living and studying across the country.
Ex-PAN further appealed to all right-thinking citizens to condemn such violence and work together to root out racial intolerance. It also conveyed deepest condolences to Anjel Chakma’s family, praying for comfort and strength in their grief.
NPP: National People’s Party (NPP) state unit through its media & IPR cell described the incident as part of a disturbing pattern of racial abuse, targeted violence, and institutional apathy faced by Northeastern citizens across India.
The party stated that such acts strike at the foundation of India’s unity and cannot be dismissed as routine law-and-order issues.
NPP state unit has appealed to the Uttarakhand government to immediately arrest all involved, book them under the strictest criminal provisions, conduct a time-bound investigation, and ensure exemplary punishment to set a clear precedent of zero tolerance for racially motivated violence.
NPP unit called upon the Parliament and the Centre to enact comprehensive central legislation addressing racial discrimination and hate crimes, with provisions for stringent punishment, fast-track trials, victim and witness protection, and clear accountability for law enforcement.
The part stated that national integration cannot be sustained when citizens were attacked and killed because of their racial identity. It said that the Parliament must act decisively to ensure no Indian, particularly from the Northeast, lived in fear within their own country.
NPP state unit also demanded exemplary justice in this case to serve as a strong deterrent against future racial violence.
Meanwhile, the party expressed deepest condolences and solidarity with the bereaved family.