Human Rights Panel Seeks Report From Uttarakhand Government On Tripura Student’s Killing In Deh

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the killing of a student from Tripura in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun. A bench headed by NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo has issued a notice to the state government, seeking a detailed report on the action taken so far in the case.

The commission has also directed the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to ensure, on priority, the safety of students from the Northeast across the state.

Seeks Details On Probe

The NHRC has asked the state authorities to include in their report details on the progress of the investigation, steps taken to arrest the accused, and measures put in place to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.

According to Uttarakhand Police, Anjel Chakma died in Dehradun days after he was allegedly attacked with knives and brass knuckles for objecting to racial slurs. Police said he suffered fatal injuries to his spine and head during the assault.

Police, State Government Respond

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said the post-mortem report is expected on Tuesday, but preliminary medical findings clearly point to fatal spinal and head injuries as the cause of death.

Meanwhile, on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Uttarakhand government has provided financial assistance to the victim’s family. Officials said a cheque of Rs 4.12 lakh has been sent as the first instalment. The aid has been sanctioned under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.

CM Dhami Speaks To Victim’s Father

As public outrage intensified, Chief Minister Dhami spoke to Anjel Chakma’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma, over the phone and assured him that the accused would face strict punishment. In a statement, Dhami said the incident was not just the death of a student but the untimely end of a family’s dreams and hopes. He added that all those involved in the murder would be arrested soon and brought to justice, stressing that law and order and the safety of citizens remain the state government’s top priority.

Anjel Chakma, a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, was seriously injured on December 9 after he was allegedly attacked by a group of youngsters with knives and blunt objects. He died on December 26 after battling for life in hospital for 17 days.

His father, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan currently posted in Tangjeng, Manipur, alleged that his son was brutally attacked while trying to defend his brother, who was being subjected to racial abuse. He told PTI that the attackers called his sons “Chinese momo” and used other racial slurs. When Anjel objected and said he was Indian, not Chinese, he was allegedly assaulted with knives and blunt weapons.