Rahul Gandhi Condemns Racial Killing of Tripura Student in Dehradun, Blames BJP for Normalising Hate

New Delhi | December 29, 2025 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday strongly condemned the racial attack that led to the death of a 24-year-old student from Tripura in Dehradun, calling it a “horrific hate crime” and blaming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for creating an atmosphere where such violence has become normalised. The victim, Anjel Chakma, an MBA student from Nandannagar in West Tripura district, was brutally attacked earlier this month after objecting to racial slurs. He succumbed to his injuries on December 26, days after the assault. The incident has triggered widespread outrage across the country and renewed concerns over the safety of students from the Northeast living outside their home states. According to police, the incident took place on December 9 near a canteen close to a liquor shop in Dehradun. Anjel Chakma and his brother Michael were present at the spot when a group of six men allegedly began targeting them with racial slurs. When the brothers protested, the verbal abuse quickly escalated into a violent attack involving knives and blunt objects. Michael was also injured while trying to protect his brother. Reacting to the incident, Rahul Gandhi said the killing was not an isolated act but the outcome of years of hate being spread openly. In a social media post, he said that hate does not appear overnight and is being fed daily, especially to young people, through toxic content and irresponsible narratives. He alleged that such behaviour is being encouraged and normalised by the hate-filled leadership of the ruling BJP. Gandhi further said that India is built on respect, unity, love, and diversity, not fear and abuse. He warned against becoming a society that looks away when fellow Indians are targeted and urged citizens to reflect on what the country is being allowed to turn into. The victim’s father, a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, said his son was repeatedly called “Chinese” and “Chinese mono” by the attackers. He added that Anjel tried to explain that he was Indian, but the attackers allegedly ignored his pleas and assaulted him with sharp and blunt weapons. The grieving family has demanded strict punishment for all those involved. Police have so far arrested five of the six accused. The arrested men have been identified as Suraj Khwas (22), Avinash Negi (25), and Sumit (25), among others. The sixth accused, Yagyaraj Awasthi, a resident of Nepal’s Kanchanpur district, is currently absconding. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information leading to his arrest. Police teams are conducting raids at multiple locations, and one team has also been sent to Nepal to trace the suspect. As public anger grew, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said such incidents were completely unacceptable and assured strict action against the culprits. He stated that the state government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of every citizen living in Uttarakhand. Dhami warned that those who disturb law and order would not be spared and directed the police to ensure the speedy arrest of the remaining accused. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha also described the incident as tragic and deeply disturbing. He said that his Uttarakhand counterpart had assured him of strict action in the case. Saha added that the central leadership had taken note of the incident and issued necessary directions to the Uttarakhand government to ensure justice for the victim’s family. The killing of Anjel Chakma has once again highlighted the issue of racial discrimination faced by people from the Northeast in different parts of the country. Students, activists, and political leaders have called for stronger measures to prevent such attacks and to promote awareness, respect, and inclusion. As investigations continue, the case remains a painful reminder of the consequences of unchecked hate and the urgent need to address discrimination in all its forms. Rahul Gandhi Condemns Racial Killing of Tripura Student in Dehradun, Blames BJP for Normalising Hate The brutal killing of 24-year-old Tripura student Anjel Chakma in Dehradun has shaken the country and sparked fresh outrage over racial discrimination and hate crimes. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi strongly condemned the incident, calling it a horrific hate crime and blaming the ruling BJP for creating an atmosphere where such violence is slowly being normalised. Anjel Chakma, an MBA student from West Tripura, was attacked on December 9 after he and his brother Michael objected to racial slurs at a canteen near a liquor shop in Dehradun. The verbal abuse quickly turned violent, with the attackers using knives and blunt objects. Anjel suffered serious injuries and passed away on December 26. His brother Michael was also injured while trying to save him. In his statement, Rahul Gandhi said hate does not appear overnight. He warned that toxic narratives and irresponsible content, especially aimed at young people, are feeding hatred in society. He added that India stands for unity, love, and diversity, not fear and abuse, and urged people to reflect on what the country is becoming if such incidents are ignored. Anjel’s father, a BSF jawan, revealed that his son was repeatedly called “Chinese” despite saying he was Indian. Five of the six accused have been arrested so far, while one accused is absconding. Police have announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest and have sent teams to multiple locations, including Nepal. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured strict action and said such crimes will not be tolerated. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha also called the incident tragic and said justice will be ensured. The case has once again highlighted the discrimination faced by people from the Northeast and the urgent need to address hate and racism in society.