NEW DELHI: The North East Media Forum (NEMF) has condemned the brutal and racially motivated attack on 24-year-old Tripura student Angel Chakma, who succumbed to his injuries on December 26, after battling for life for over two weeks in the ICU of a private hospital in Dehradun.
On December 9, Angel Chakma and his brother Michael Chakma were allegedly attacked by a group of six individuals in the Selaqui area of Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The incident reportedly began at a canteen near a liquor shop where the accused allegedly hurled racially abusive and anti–Northeast slurs, including calling Angel “Chinese”, “Chinki”, and “Momo”. When Angel objected to these slurs, he was allegedly assaulted with a knife and an iron rod, causing severe head and spinal injuries.
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Expressing its deepest condolences and solidarity to the bereaved family, the North East Media Forum noted with concern that the tragic death of Angel Chakma is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of racial violence and discrimination faced by people from the Northeast across the country.
NEMF demanded a swift, transparent, and time-bound investigation, invocation of appropriate provisions dealing with hate crimes, and exemplary punishment for all those responsible. The Forum further demands accountability for any lapses by law enforcement authorities.
The North East Media Forum also reiterated its long-standing demand for the immediate and full implementation of the Bezbaruah Committee Report, constituted to address racism, discrimination, and violence against people from the Northeast.