Own correspondent: A talented student from Tripura has lost his life in Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand state of India, after being attacked on ‘Chinese suspicion’. On December 9, 24-year-old Angel Chakma was brutally beaten and stabbed and seriously injured for protesting against racist abuse by a group of youths while shopping. After being on the verge of life and death on a ventilator for 14 days, he finally migrated to the country of no return. The tragic thing is that the deceased Angel’s father is a BSF jawan; who is engaged in protecting the country on the border. Hindustan Times reports.
The deceased Angel Chakma (24) was an MBA student at Dehradun’s Kishtwar University.
When Angel’s body was brought to his hometown Agartala on Saturday (December 27), a shadow of grief fell over the entire area. The murder has sparked outrage across the country, including northeast India. The family alleges that their children were insulted as ‘Chinese’ just because of their appearance and were attacked by a group of violent youths when they protested.
Police and eyewitnesses say that on the evening of the incident, Angel went shopping with his younger brother Michael Doge at a local market. There, some youths stopped them and started abusing them by calling them ‘Chinese’. Angel protested calmly and said, “We are not Chinese, we are Indians. Do we have to show any proof to prove our Indian identity?” Amidst this argument, the accused stabbed Angel on the neck and spine with a sharp knife. Michael was also seriously injured.
The police have so far arrested 5 people in this incident, two of whom are minors. However, the main accused Yagya Awasthi is still absconding. It is believed that he has fled to Nepal. The police have announced a reward of Rs 25,000 if he is found. A case has been registered against the accused under the sections of murder and criminal conspiracy.
After this brutal murder, student organizations in the northeastern region, including Tripura, have taken to the streets. They have demanded a strict national law against racial hate crimes.
Tipra Motha Party chief Pradyut Vikram Manikya Debbarma expressed his anger and said that the people of the northeast protect the country’s borders, yet they have to be insulted as ‘Chinese’ in their own country. This is not just a loss to a family but a big blow to the unity of the country.
It is worth noting that the murder of Angel Chakma has recently brought back the horrific memories of the torture of workers in India on suspicion of being ‘Bangladeshi’. Earlier, many people were beaten to death in various states of India on mere suspicion, labeled as ‘Bangladeshi infiltrators.
