A wave of grief and anger swept through Agartala on Sunday as various youth and student organisations held a candlelight march demanding justice for Angel Chakma, a Tripura student who died following a brutal assault in Dehradun. The march, led by the Tipra Indigenous Students Federation (TISF) along with other groups, began at Swami Vivekananda Stadium and passed through key areas of the city, drawing large public participation.

Angel Chakma, 24, the son of a Border Security Force (BSF) constable, succumbed to his injuries on December 26 at a hospital in Dehradun. He had been seriously injured in an attack on December 9 in the Selaqui area, where he was pursuing higher studies at a university. According to officials, he remained under treatment for over two weeks before passing away.

Participants in the march urged the central government to enact stringent laws to protect people from the Northeast living in other parts of India, particularly in northern states. Youth Tipra Federation (YTF) President Suraj Debbarma highlighted past incidents involving assaults and racial discrimination against Northeastern youths, calling the situation alarming and unacceptable.

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The incident sparked sharp political reactions beyond Tripura. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma described the attack as heartbreaking and intolerable, stressing that racial violence has no place in India. “People from the Northeast are as Indian as every citizen of this country,” he said, demanding strict punishment for those responsible.

National People’s Party (NPP) Working President James Sangma also condemned the incident, calling it a wake-up call for stronger legal and institutional safeguards. He emphasized the need for decisive action against racial profiling, hate speech, and targeted violence to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has taken up the matter with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who confirmed that five accused have been arrested and placed in judicial custody. Authorities stated that further investigations are ongoing. Meanwhile, Angel Chakma’s mortal remains were brought back to Tripura on Saturday, triggering widespread mourning and renewed demands for exemplary punishment from student bodies and political leaders across the state.

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