Manipur student bodies demand measures to protect NE students

Manipur based student bodies on Monday demanded immediate decisive action to address racism while joining the chorus condemning the recent killing of MBA student from Tripura in Uttarakhand.
The student bodies also urged the Central government to ensure safety of students and individuals from Northeast India who study or live in other parts of the country.
Angel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who was assaulted in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on December 9, 2025, and succumbed to his injuries on December 26, 2025. The incident was a grave assault on the dignity, identity, and safety of students from Northeast India across the country, Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) and All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), alleged in separate statements issued on Monday. Citing reports, the two prominent student bodies alleged that Chakma was attacked by a group of assailants who used racial slurs and stabbed him multiple times, leading to his tragic demise. The victim’s brother alleged that the attackers were intoxicated and targeted them due to their appearance, the MSF stated.
“This heinous act of racial violence is shameful and has been condemned by the Manipuri student community, the MSF said, in a statement. The statement by MSF cited that racism, discrimination, and hatred against people from Northeast India were unacceptable and should be condemned by all.
The MSF also said that the people from the northeast often faced racial discrimination, stereotyping, and social exclusion in other parts of India due to their distinct physical appearance. Derogatory terms like “chinky,” “momo,” “chowmein,” and “Chinese” are frequently used to mock people from the northeast. “This kind of discrimination can escalate to physical assault and hate crimes, and it’s unacceptable that such systems have persisted for far too long,” the student body pointed out.
It also urged the Prime Minister, Union home minister, Uttarakhand chief minister, and other government authorities to intervene in this issue, arrest the perpetrators, and take strict legal action against them.
The student body further requested the Central government to implement special measures to safeguard students and individuals from Northeast India who study or live in other parts of the country.
“It is the responsibility of the government to ensure their safety and well-being,” the MSF said, while seeking Centre’s immediate measures for the safety and security of all the students from the northeast region.
It expressed hope that concrete steps would be taken to prevent similar incidents and to ensure a safe and secure environment for students from northeast India across the country.
AMSU, in a separate statement, demanded immediate arrest of all those involved in the killing and strict punishment under relevant provisions of law.
The body further called for a time-bound and transparent investigation to ensure that justice is delivered without delay while alleging that Chakma was allegedly racially abused, mocked, and dehumanised through derogatory slurs related to his physical appearance and identity as a northeastern student. “Such acts reflect a deeply entrenched pattern of racism, racial profiling, and discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in different parts of the country,” it added.
AMSU asserted that the incident was not an isolated case, recalling earlier instances of racial violence and harassment, including the killing of Nido Tania and several other reported and unreported cases.
It said repeated failures in ensuring accountability have emboldened perpetrators and allowed racial violence to persist, the AMSU alleged.
“Racism has no place in a democratic and multicultural country,” it said while pointing out that continued targeting of Northeastern people violated the constitutional guarantees of equality, non-discrimination, and the right to life and dignity.