Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly denounced the racially motivated murder of 24-year-old postgraduate student Angel Chakma from Tripura, labelling the incident a profound "national disgrace" that exposes entrenched societal prejudices against individuals from Northeast India and undermines the core principles of unity in diversity that define the nation.
The final-year MBA student at a private university in Dehradun succumbed to severe stab injuries on December 26, more than two weeks after sustaining critical wounds in a brutal assault on December 9 in the Selaqui area, where he and his younger brother were allegedly targeted with derogatory racial slurs such as "Chinese" and "momo" near a liquor outlet following a heated argument.
Tharoor articulated that the attack was not merely an isolated act of violence but the manifestation of widespread ignorance, deep-rooted prejudice, and a collective societal failure to fully embrace and respect India's rich multicultural fabric, particularly highlighting a disturbing surge in racism across North India often disguised as casual mockery or institutional indifference.
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Authorities have arrested five accused individuals, with a special investigation team actively pursuing the alleged mastermind who remains at large, while Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has announced a substantial Rs 10 lakh reward for credible information leading to his capture, amplifying demands for swift justice.
The victim's family, including his father who serves as a BSF jawan, has alleged significant delays in police response and insists the violence erupted solely due to racial provocation, as Chakma courageously asserted his Indian identity in defence of his brother, prompting broader calls for educational reforms, media responsibility, and national introspection to eradicate discrimination and ensure the Northeast's integral place in India's identity is unequivocally honoured.
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