The racial undercurrents in the tragic death of Anjel Chakma have ignited a firestorm of protests and a Rare NHRC intervention.1 As of Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has officially put the Dehradun administration on a seven-day clock to explain how a 24-year-old MBA student was killed after protesting racial slurs.
The thing is, this isn’t just a “canteen brawl” gone wrong. Or nothing. Let’s be real, Anjel’s last words—“I am also Indian, not Chinese”—have become a rallying cry for the Northeast community. Those too.
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The Timeline of the Tragedy
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December 9: Anjel and his brother Michael are at a canteen near a liquor shop in the Premnagar area.2 A group of men begins hurling racial slurs.3 Anjel protests. He is attacked with a knife and a heavy metal kada (bracelet).
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The 17-Day Fight: Anjel is rushed to Graphic Era Hospital with deep lacerations and severe neurological trauma. He loses sensation in the right side of his body.
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December 26: After over two weeks in the ICU, Anjel succumbs to his injuries.4
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December 29: NHRC issues a notice to the DM and SSP of Dehradun, citing a “serious violation” of the right to life and dignity.5
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The “Racial” Gap in the Law
There is a massive debate brewing over why it took so long for the police to act.
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The Delay: Critics and the Congress party have pointed out a 12-day delay in registering the FIR, which allegedly gave the prime accused, Yagya Awasthi, time to flee to Nepal.6
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The Charge: While five suspects (including two minors) are in custody, the Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) is demanding the government invoke Section 117(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which specifically deals with grievous hurt by a mob on grounds of race or caste.7
Hate Crime Statistics (2024–2025)
According to a joint report by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) and the Quill Foundation, hate-related incidents in India have seen a sharp trajectory:
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| Metric | June 2024 – June 2025 |
| Total Hate-Related Incidents | 947 |
| Physical Hate Crimes | 602 |
| Hate Speech Incidents | 345 |
| Fatalities (Physical Violence) | 25 |
Note: These statistics reflect a 74.4% increase in reported hate speech incidents compared to the previous year, with religious and racial minorities being the primary targets.
The Outlook: A New Law?
And here’s the kicker: this killing has revived the ghost of the Nido Tania case (2014). Activists are now demanding the immediate implementation of the Bezbaruah Committee recommendations—specifically a standalone anti-racial violence law.8
It’s an ongoing situation where the Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has promised “strict punishment,” but for the students from the Northeast living in Dehradun, the sense of safety has completely evaporated.
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