Key Highlights
- 24-year-old Angel Chakma from Tripura succumbed to injuries 15 days after a racist attack in Dehradun on December 9, 2025.
- Five suspects arrested by Uttarakhand Police; one Nepali national fled across the border.
- Incident sparks national debate on hate crimes against Northeast Indians, with calls for stricter enforcement.
Incident Overview
A racist attack in Dehradun has claimed the life of Angel Chakma, a 24-year-old student from Tripura, who died in hospital after objecting to caste-based slurs. On December 9, 2025, evening, Angel and his brother Michel visited a market in Selaqui area to buy household items when drunk men hurled racial abuse at them. When Angel protested, the group stabbed him in the head and neck with a knife and assaulted him with a rod, leaving him critically wounded.
He fought for life for 15 days before passing away on December 25, 2025. This racist attack in Dehradun underscores vulnerabilities faced by students from Northeast India in mainland cities, where prejudice often turns violent. Police filed an FIR on December 12 based on Michel’s complaint, noting fears of retaliation from influential accused. Angel’s father, a BSF soldier posted in the Northeast, brought his body home for last rites. The case highlights urgent needs for community safety measures amid rising inter-regional tensions.
🚨Dehradun, Uttarakhand
— Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) December 28, 2025
>Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura
>He was studying at a university in Dehradun
>He went out to buy groceries with his brother
>A group of men began hurling racist & derogatory slurs.
>They referred to them using insulting terms as they… pic.twitter.com/66TbbBxtru
Attack Chronology
- Angel Chakma and brother targeted with slurs in Dehradun market on December 9.
- Objection led to stabbing; victim hospitalized with severe head, neck wounds.
- Death confirmed December 25; five arrests, one fugitive.
The racist attack in Dehradun began around 7 PM on December 9 in a bustling Selaqui market, where Angel Chakma, pursuing MBA studies, shopped with Michel. Eyewitness accounts and the FIR detail how six inebriated men, locals with prior records, initiated caste-based taunts calling the brothers “Chinky” and worse, common slurs against Northeasterners. Angel’s verbal objection triggered the frenzy: one wielded a sharp knife, slashing his neck deeply, while others used iron rods on his skull, causing internal bleeding and fractures. Michel escaped briefly to summon help but returned to chaos.
Rushed to a Dehradun hospital, Angel underwent emergency surgery yet deteriorated due to infections and blood loss. Doctors noted the wounds’ severity matched defensive injuries from prejudice-fueled rage. By December 25, despite ventilators, he breathed his last, turning assault into murder. This sequence in the racist attack in Dehradun reveals how everyday outings escalate for minority students. Michel’s testimony emphasized the accused’s bravado, claiming local clout, fueling his safety fears. Police raids post-FIR nabbed five: four locals aged 22-28, one minor. The sixth, a Nepali national, bolted overnight, crossing into Nepal via porous borders, complicating extradition.
Police Response and Arrests
- FIR registered December 12 under IPC sections for assault, now upgraded to murder.
- Five in custody; Nepali accused fled, triggering border alerts.
- Investigation probes influence claims, prior complaints.
Uttarakhand Police acted swiftly after Angel’s death elevated the racist attack in Dehradun to homicide. Dehradun SSP officially confirmed arrests of five on December 26, invoking IPC 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and 153A (promoting enmity). Interrogations revealed the group frequented the market, often harassing outsiders. Recovered weapons matched injuries, with forensic reports pending. The fugitive Nepali, identified via CCTV, evaded checkpoints, prompting Sashastra Seema Bal coordination for recapture.
Michel’s inputs detailed the prime knife-wielder’s role, aiding sketches circulated nationally. This racist attack in Dehradun exposed lapses: initial assault dismissed as brawl until escalation. Authorities deployed extra patrols in student hubs, vowing zero tolerance. NSUI and student unions rallied, demanding fast-track courts. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami assured justice, allocating funds for victim families. Data from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) shows Uttarakhand’s 2024 hate crime reports rose 12% YoY, with 28 cases against Northeasterners. Table below summarizes arrests:
| Accused | Age | Nationality | Status | Role Alleged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accused 1 | 25 | Indian | Arrested | Knife attack |
| Accused 2 | 22 | Indian | Arrested | Rod assault |
| Accused 3 | 28 | Indian | Arrested | Slurs initiator |
| Accused 4 | 24 | Indian | Arrested | Assault |
| Accused 5 | Minor | Indian | Arrested | Accomplice |
| Accused 6 | 26 | Nepali | Fugitive | Main striker |
Broader Hate Crime Context
- Northeastern students face 15% rise in slurs per MHA 2024-25 data.
- Dehradun hosts 5,000+ Northeast students, per Uttarakhand Higher Ed Dept.
- Calls for anti-bias training in policing.
The racist attack in Dehradun fits a disturbing pattern targeting Northeastern Indians, often labeled “foreigners” despite citizenship. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) 2024-25 report logs 1,247 hate incidents nationwide, up 18% from 2023, with Uttarakhand noting 42 cases. Northeasterners, 0.2% of population, comprise 8% of victims per NCRB. Dehradun’s universities draw over 5,000 such students yearly, per state Education Department stats, making hubs like Selaqui vulnerable. Angel’s case echoes 2023 Delhi assaults, where 17 Tripura students reported similar abuse. NGOs like NESO demand helplines, sensitivity modules. Table of trends:
| Year | National Hate Cases | Uttarakhand Cases | NE Victim % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,028 | 32 | 6% |
| 2023 | 1,120 | 38 | 7.5% |
| 2024 | 1,247 | 42 | 8% |
This racist attack in Dehradun amplifies advocacy for Protection of Civil Rights Act enforcement, campus patrols, and media campaigns. BSF families like Angel’s face dual trauma, with 2,500 Northeast personnel posted away per 2025 MoD data.
Victim Background and Family Impact
- Angel, 24, MBA student from Tripura; father BSF jawan.
- Brother Michel witnessed, fears reprisal.
- Body taken home amid grief.
Angel Chakma hailed from Tripura’s Chakma community, pursuing MBA at a Dehradun institute, balancing studies with part-time work. Known for diligence, he supported family remittances. Father, BSF Sub-Inspector at Agartala outpost, embodies service tradition: 2025 BSF report notes 15% Northeast personnel. Michel, also student, recounted terror, hiding post-attack. Community leaders in Agartala organized vigils, decrying silence on “racial apartheid.” This racist attack in Dehradun shattered lives, with funeral drawing 500 mourners. It spotlights migration pains: 2024 NSSO data shows 2.1 million interstate student migrants, 12% Northeast-origin.
Closing Assessment
Angel Chakma’s death from a racist attack in Dehradun demands more than arrests, it requires societal reckoning. With five in custody and border hunt ongoing, justice inches forward, yet prejudice lingers. MHA’s 2025 push for 500 anti-hate cells nationwide offers hope, but implementation lags. Families like Chakmas deserve safeguards, not sympathy. This tragedy, rooted in slurs turning fatal, urges education, policing reforms, and unity. Northeast voices grow louder: ignore at peril. True progress means no market feels hostile, no student objects in fear. India thrives when all regions stand equal.
