DEHRADUN: Anjel Chakma and his younger brother Michael, both students who had been living in Dehradun for over a year, were allegedly stopped and taunted by a group of men who called them “Chinki”, “Chinese” and “Momo” during a routine grocery run in the Selaqui area of Uttarakhand’s capital.

One of the men reportedly sneered, “Oye Chinese, have you come to buy pork?” What began as a regular visit to the local market on the evening of December 9 soon escalated into a violent confrontation. According to the account, Anjel objected to the racial abuse and confronted the group, asserting their identity. “We are not Chinese… We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?” he allegedly said. Moments later, the situation turned brutal. The six men allegedly attacked Anjel, stabbing him during the altercation.

He was rushed to a hospital in Dehradun, where he fought for his life for more than 14 days. On Friday, the 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura succumbed to his injuries. His younger brother Michael survived the incident.Michael would later tell police and friends how his brother calmly but firmly corrected them. That assertion, of identity and dignity, was met with knives. “Soon after Anjel replied, they attacked him and his brother while hurling abuses,” said a friend of Anjel’s, who remained at the hospital through the two weeks that followed.

“Anjel suffered serious injuries to his neck and spine. Michael is also injured and still in a serious condition.

”The friend requested anonymity, but his voice carried anger and disbelief. “He was one of the calmest, friendliest people. We’re all broken by what happened.” Anjel’s body was flown to Agartala on Saturday, as Tripura erupted in anger. His family was assisted by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, chairman of Tipra Motha Party and a member of the erstwhile Tripura royal family, who had been in touch with the family since the day of the incident and had supported his medical treatment.Speaking to TOI, Debbarma said on Saturday, “It’s tragic that the patriotic people of the northeast are called Chinese and attacked. Those who hurl racist slurs forget that it is because of the brave people of the northeast that China cannot enter the country. These incidents don’t just hurt families. They divide our people. And when we are divided, we are vulnerable. We don’t want that. We want justice.”Suraj Debbarma, state president of Youth Tipra Federation, the youth wing of Tipra Motha, who helped coordinate Anjel’s last rites, said: “People from the northeast face racial slurs and xenophobic attacks in the north regularly...”Senior sub-inspector Jitendra Kumar of Selaqui police station said on Sunday, “Yagya Awasthi, the main accused, is suspected to have fled to Nepal. Two police teams have been dispatched to track him down and nab him, and a reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced. After Anjel’s death, we added additional BNS sections — 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (committing crime with common intention).” Initially, the FIR was filed under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), and 351(3) (criminal intimidation). On Dec 14, based on doctors’ statements, sections 109 (attempt to murder) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) were added. Charges were upgraded again after Anjel’s death.