Agartala: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Dehradun district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) seeking a report on the alleged racially motivated killing of a student from Tripura in Uttarakhand’s capital.
The Commission has directed the Dehradun authorities to investigate the allegations and has sought an action taken report within seven days.
The commission also directed that copies of the case proceedings be sent to the Uttarakhand chief secretary and the director general of police, while asking the state authorities to ensure the safety of students from the North-Eastern region across Uttarakhand.
The victim, Anjel Chakma (24), a final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun, was allegedly assaulted by a group of youths on December 9. He succumbed to his injuries on December 26 after remaining hospitalised for 17 days. The attackers allegedly used knives and blunt objects.
According to the victim’s father, a Border Security Force jawan currently posted at Tangjeng in Manipur, the incident took place when Anjel intervened to protect his younger brother, who was allegedly abused with racial slurs. The assailants allegedly referred to the brothers as “Chinese” and “Chinese momo”. When Anjel asserted that he was an Indian citizen and not Chinese, the group attacked him, the father alleged.
According to the proceedings, a bench of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), headed by member Priyank Kanoongo, has taken cognisance of the matter under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The commission noted that the victim was allegedly targeted with racial slurs and assaulted after asserting his Indian identity. The complaint further pointed to deep-rooted racial discrimination against people from the North-Eastern states and alleged lapses by local authorities in preventing the violence and ensuring adequate protection.
The complainant alleged that the incident amounts to a “serious violation” of the victim’s right to life, dignity, and equality.
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The complainant had sought the intervention of the NHRC in the matter and requested urgent intervention, accountability, and systemic measures to prevent such hate-based crimes, the proceedings say.
The allegations made in the complaint prima facie appear to be violations of the victim’s human rights, the NHRC says.
