Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh on Tuesday responded to allegations of a delay in registering an FIR in the murder of Tripura student Angel Chakma, stating that the police wanted to thoroughly examine the “racial attack” angle.
Addressing a press conference in Dehradun, Singh said the incident took place on December 9 and that the victim’s brother approached the police the following day.
He said the police wanted to examine all aspects of the case, as the incident occurred in a crowded area, yet no information was received at the police control room at the time. Normally, he added, local residents inform the police immediately in such cases.
He further stated that the allegations made by the victim’s family, including claims of racial abuse, also needed to be verified in order to invoke the appropriate sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Angel Chakma, a student from Nandanagar in Tripura’s Debram Thakur Para, was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons during a heated argument in Dehradun on December 9. He sustained critical injuries and succumbed on December 26 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
According to Angel’s family, he and his brother, Micheal Chakma, had gone to the Selaqui area of Dehradun to buy groceries when they were allegedly stopped by a group of six men who hurled racial slurs, calling them “Chink,” “Chinese,” and “Momo.”
Angel reportedly confronted the men, asserting that he was Indian and not Chinese. The situation then escalated, and the assailants allegedly attacked him with knives and other blunt objects.
However, the police said they have not found any evidence so far to substantiate the family’s claim that the attack was racially motivated.
According to SSP Singh, the incident occurred in the Selaqui police station area, where six accused had gathered for a birthday party.
“A scuffle broke out near a liquor shop amid a crowd, during which one of the accused assaulted the victim, causing grievous injuries. The victim was taken to Graphic Era Hospital, where he later died on December 26,” he said.
So far, the police have arrested five accused, including two minors, in connection with the murder. A sixth accused, who is reportedly a Nepali national, is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to nab him.