‘Police Trying To Dilute Case’: Angel Chakma’s Uncle Recounts Painful Final Days Of His Nephew, Demands Maximum Punishment

New Delhi: After a Dehrahun Police official denied any racial angle to the killing of Tripura student Anjel Chakma in the city, saying that the derogatory remarks were made “in jest”, the deceased student's uncle Momen Chakma claimed that police are trying to dilute the case and it is only after the victims objected to racial slurs that they were subjected to attack.

In an exclusive conversation with Republic, Momen Chakma, said that only those people from the north-east. whose facial features look like tribals, are usually targeted. 

“Those who look like them (non-tribals) are not mocked. People like us, whose nose or eyes are small are targeted. Maybe they (one of the accused who was also from the same state) have moustache or look like them, and so they (police) are saying that there is no angle of racism in this case.” Chakma said.

Momen Chakma also detailed that the teens involved in the attack first abused them with racial slurs saying ‘Chinki’, ‘Ponki’ and ‘Chinese’ following which Michael and Anjel Chakma objected, which then led to the attack.

“Michael has already informed us about what happened and it is mentioned in the FIR as well. First they (accused) abused and called them ‘Chinki’, ‘Ponki’, ‘Chinese’. When Angel and Michael resisted, then they attacked,” he said. 

Momen Chakma alleged that the police is trying to silence the racial angle in the case, because it would blow up into a ‘big issue’, bringing upon embarrassment.

“Police is trying to dilute the case. Since racism is a big issue, they are trying to silence this and change the angle of the case. But this is the real issue. Michael had already told them, from the beginning, that they were mocked,” he said.

Chakma demanded that if the killers are not punished, it will give impunity to those who have the same racist mentatlity.  

“If the killers are not punished, more people with such mentality will be encouraged,” Momen Chakma said, calling for strict legal action and demands maximum punishment.

Describing the incident as shared by Michael, he said, “I am very close to both Anjel and Michael. I first heard what happened when Michael called me. He told me Anjel was critically injured. I reached Dehradun the next morning. Michael told me the attackers were complete strangers, intoxicated and aggressive. They hurled racial slurs. When Michael said, ‘We are Indians,’ they hit him. Anjel jumped in to save his brother, but the gang surrounded him and started stabbing.”

NCST Steps In

The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has stepped in and issued notices to senior officials in Uttarakhand and demanded a detailed action-taken report within three days. The Commission has also sought an explanation from the Director General of Police, the Dehradun District Magistrate, and the Senior Superintendent of Police to explain the delay in registering the FIR.

The Attack

According to the FIR, Angel and his younger brother Michael were harassed by six intoxicated men in the Selakui area on December 9. The attackers allegedly hurled racial slurs, and mocked them with terms such as “Chinese,” “Nepali,” “Chinki,” and “Momos.” 

When the brothers resisted, the abuse escalated into violence. Michael was struck on the head with a heavy metal bracelet, while Angel was stabbed multiple times by the prime accused Yagya Awasthi. Another attacker hit him with a metal rod, leaving Angel critically injured. Despite medical efforts, he later succumbed to his injuries.

ALSO READ: NCST Demands Action Report in 3 Days on Murder of Tripura Student Anjel Chakma in Dehradun