Agartala, Jan 2 (NationPress) Senior BJP figure and former Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay has called for the harshest punishment for the individuals responsible for the murder of Tripura student Angel Chakma. Chakma was severely beaten in Dehradun and succumbed to his injuries on December 26.

Vijay visited the grieving family of Angel Chakma in their home in Machmara village, located in Unakoti district, to extend his condolences.

Angel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student in his final year from Machmara, was reportedly assaulted by a racist mob in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, on December 9. After fighting for his life for 18 days in a hospital, he passed away on December 26.

Vijay vehemently condemned the incident, asserting that the perpetrators should receive exemplary punishment for their “despicable act”. He emphasized that such actions would serve as a deterrent for future crimes.

He mentioned that he had discussions with Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu and Chief Minister Manik Saha regarding the situation and noted that the Chief Minister of Tripura has engaged in talks with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami multiple times concerning the case. Additionally, he recommended that a job be provided to Angel Chakma’s younger brother, Michael Chakma, within the Tripura government to help secure the family's financial future.

“The deceased was the family’s hope. It is essential to provide employment to his younger brother, and we will make sincere efforts in this regard,” Vijay stated. He also suggested establishing a special Northeast cell within the Uttarakhand Police to tackle instances of racial abuse and discrimination.

Vijay expressed that his primary purpose in meeting the family was to share their grief and demonstrate solidarity on behalf of the people of Uttarakhand.

Protests have erupted almost daily in Uttarakhand following the incident.

Angel Chakma, a member of the Chakma tribal community, was allegedly attacked by a group of assailants who unleashed racial slurs against him. He was the son of a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier.

Meanwhile, Rajeshwar Debbarma, a leader from the BJP ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), stated that the party is demanding exemplary punishment for the offenders and the application of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. TMP chief Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma criticized the Uttarakhand government and police, claiming that there were attempts to downplay the racial aspects of the crime.

“The attackers labeled Angel with names like ‘Chinki’, ‘Chinese’, and ‘Momo’, and brutally assaulted him while his father, a BSF soldier, was protecting the nation's borders,” Pradyot Debbarma said in a video message.

This incident has ignited widespread outrage throughout the Northeastern region, with various political leaders and organizations, including Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, Lalduhoma, Chief Minister of Mizoram, and Conrad K. Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, condemning the assault as a “horrific hate crime”.

Former Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh, Ashish Kumar Saha, President of Tripura Congress, and numerous other organizations, including the All India Chakma Students’ Union (AICSU), the North East Students’ Organization (NESO), and the Tripura Tribal Students’ Union, have also denounced the murder and called for stringent punishment for those involved.