In brief
Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old student from Tripura, succumbed to injuries after a racially motivated attack that has turned the spotlight on systemic discrimination against individuals from India's northeastern states. The incident has led to protests and demands for an anti-racism law, revealing the frequent racial abuses faced by Northeastern migrants in larger cities. As activists push for reform, the case reinforces the need for acknowledging and addressing deep-rooted prejudices.
The northern Indian city of Dehradun, located in the Himalayan foothills, was shaken by a violent incident weeks ago.
Brothers Anjel and Michael Chakma - students who had migrated more than 1,500 miles from the north-eastern state of Tripura for studies - had gone to a market on 9 December when they were confronted by a group of men, who allegedly abused them with racial slurs, their father Tarun Chakma told the BBC.
When the brothers protested, they were attacked. Michael Chakma was allegedly struck on the head with a metal bracelet, while Anjel Chakma suffered stab wounds. Michael has recovered but Anjel died 17 days later in hospital, he says.
Police in Uttarakhand state (whose capital is Dehradun) have arrested five people in connection with the incident, but they have denied that the attack was racially motivated - a claim that Chakma's family strongly disputes.
The incident, which has triggered protests in several cities, has put the spotlight on allegations of racism faced by people from India's north-eastern states when they move to larger cities for education or work. They say they are often mocked over their appearance, questioned about nationality and harassed in public spaces and workplaces.
For many, the discrimination extends beyond abuse to everyday barriers that shape where and how they live. People from the region report difficulty renting accommodation, with landlords refusing tenants because of their appearance, food habits or stereotypes.
Such pressures have led many north-eastern migrants in large cities to cluster in specific neighbourhoods, offering safety, mutual support and cultural familiarity far from home.
But while many say they learn to endure everyday prejudices to build lives elsewhere in the country, violent crimes such as Anjel Chakma's killing are deeply unsettling. They reinforce fears about personal safety and a sense of vulnerability, they say.
The killing of Anjel Chakma has renewed calls for a specific anti-racism law. Several student and civil society groups have issued open letters demanding legal reform.
After Nido Tania's death in 2014, the Indian government set up a committee to examine discrimination faced by people from the north-east living outside of the region. The panel submitted its report to the home ministry the same year, acknowledging widespread racism and recommending several measures, including a standalone anti-racism law, fast-track investigations and institutional safeguards.
But activists say little has changed since. No specific anti-racism legislation has been enacted, and many of the recommendations remain only partially implemented. The renewed demands over an anti-racism law have revived a broader debate over whether legislation can address prejudice, often seen as rooted in social behaviour.
Experts and activists argue that it can, citing laws criminalizing dowry and caste-based atrocities as examples of how legal frameworks can empower victims and raise awareness. Meanwhile in Tripura, Tarun Chakma mourns his elder son while facing uncertainty over his younger one: Michael, a final-year sociology student, is expected to return to Dehradun to complete his studies. While family members have urged caution, Tarun Chakma says he is torn between fear for his son's safety and the belief that abandoning his education would amount to another loss.
