Students from the Northeast on December 31 organised a candlelight march in Dehradun to protest the killing of 24-year-old Anjel Chakma, a native of Tripura, and to demand justice, amid allegations of racial discrimination.
The protest was held under the banner of the Unified Tripura Students Association (UTSA) and was attended by students from several educational institutions across the city.
The march began at Gandhi Park, with participants carrying candles as they walked towards Ghantaghar, Dehradun’s central clock tower. Students from other states also joined the march in solidarity. Protesters held placards bearing Chakma’s photograph and raised slogans such as “Stop Racism”, “We Are Indians” and “We Want Justice”, alleging that students from the Northeast routinely face discrimination.
Churanta Tripura, general secretary of UTSA Dehradun, accused the police of attempting to dilute the case by refusing to acknowledge it as an incident of racism. He also claimed that the police had asked organisers to halt the march citing traffic congestion due to New Year celebrations, a move he said further fuelled their resentment.
Anjel Chakma, a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, was allegedly attacked on December 9 by a group of youths armed with a knife and a brass knuckle, leaving him critically injured. He remained in hospital for 17 days before succumbing to his injuries on December 26.
While Chakma’s family and friends have alleged that the assault was preceded by racist remarks, Dehradun police have rejected claims of racial motivation. Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh said the investigation so far has not established any evidence of racial discrimination.
He added that Dehradun is home to students from across the country, including more than 2,000 from the Northeast, with around 250 students from Tripura currently studying in the city.