No Racial Angle Found In Tripura Student's Death, Say Uttarakhand Police

The Uttarakhand Police have arrested five people in connection with the death of Anjel Chakma, the Tripura student who died after allegedly being attacked over racial slur in Dehradun.

Briefing the media, SSP Ajay Singh said that a special police team has been formed to investigate the case in detail, rejecting claims made by the victim’s brother, Michael about the attack being radically motivated.

According to the police, one of the five arrested men is from Manipur. The official also stated that the probe so far has not found evidence to support claims of deliberate racial targeting.

Police further stated that during questioning, the accused told investigators that certain remarks made at the spot were meant for someone within their own group.

They claimed these comments were not directed at Michael or his brother, but were misunderstood.

“During the interrogation, various pieces of information were gathered. It came to light that one of the accused, who is a resident of Manipur, stated that he was hosting a small party with his friends. During the gathering, some comments were exchanged jokingly among themselves. These remarks were perceived in a certain way, and the victim’s side tried to intervene and asked them not to continue,” said the SSP.

The police said the incident took place after one of the accused hosted a birthday gathering. The group had allegedly consumed alcohol before reaching the area. Due to intoxication, a verbal argument broke out between the group and the two brothers, which later turned violent.

“However, in the heat of the moment, an argument broke out, which escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in injuries that led to death. So far, the police investigation has not found any evidence of intentional racial comments. The remarks were made as jokes, but they were taken negatively by the victim’s side,” he stated.

The police said efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining accused and a further investigation into the case is underway.