A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Supreme Court following the brutal assault and death of a student from Tripura in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun, seeking urgent intervention to address what the plea describes as a continuing failure to deal with racially motivated violence against people from the North-East.
The petition refers to the death of Angel Chakma, a final-year MBA student at a university in Uttarakhand, who died on December 26 after suffering serious injuries in an attack earlier this month. Chakma was allegedly assaulted on December 9 in the Selaqui area of Dehradun.
According to a complaint filed by his brother, Michael Chakma, the two were stopped by a group of youths who were allegedly drunk. An argument followed, which soon turned violent. The attackers are alleged to have used racial slurs before assaulting them with sharp objects. Angel Chakma suffered multiple stab injuries, including wounds to his neck and abdomen, and was admitted to the ICU at Graphic Era Hospital, where he later died.
The petition highlights Chakma’s last recorded words during the confrontation — “We are not Chinese… We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?” — and says the statement reflects the deep prejudice faced by people from the North-Eastern states.
The plea argues that despite the apparent racial motive, such incidents are often treated as ordinary crimes, with no recognition of the hate element involved. It says there is no system in place to identify or record racial violence at the initial stage of investigation, allowing such crimes to go unaddressed.
Referring to earlier cases, including the 2014 killing of Nido Taniam, the petition states that Angel Chakma’s death is part of a larger pattern of racial violence against people from the North-East.
The PIL also points out that even under the new criminal laws — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita — there is no specific legal framework to deal with hate or racial crimes.
The petition says such violence violates the constitutional rights to equality, dignity and life, and weakens the idea of fraternity under the Constitution. It has sought directions from the Supreme Court to recognise racially motivated violence as a separate and serious constitutional issue.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has spoken to the victim’s father and assured strict action. According to the state government, five accused have been arrested so far, while another accused is believed to have fled to Nepal, for whom a reward has been announced.
The Chief Minister said the government stands with the victim’s family and will ensure all necessary assistance and strict punishment for those involved.