Lesongit Reang, the youth from Tripura who was allegedly subjected to racial abuse and harassment in a widely circulated video, on Saturday, 24 October 2026, stated categorically that he had no prior acquaintance with the accused — content creator Amir Shokeen — and had never encountered him before the incident. The disclosure directly contradicts Shokeen's earlier claim that the video was scripted and that the man in it was known to him.

Victim's Account of the Incident

Speaking to reporters, Reang said: 'Everyone should know what happened to me that day. First of all, I did not know him (Amir Shokeen) beforehand. I know one of his friends, but I did not know him, and neither had I seen him before.'

Reang also suggested that the accused and his companions may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time. 'At that time, they may also have been under the influence of alcohol...and as you saw in the video, they said those things to me...one cannot say such things to someone, especially to an unknown person. I was hurt (due to the remarks), but there were a lot of people at that time so I could not do anything, not even object,' he said.

Tipra Motha Chief Demands Strict Action

Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, founder of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), accompanied Reang and called for strict legal action against Shokeen, asserting that an apology alone is insufficient.

'I believe that making videos that hurt the sentiments of people from any region is completely unacceptable. If you want to make money by hurting or mocking someone or commenting on the physical appearance of people from a particular state, you should not only be punished, but your channel should also be banned, and you should be blocked,' Barman said.

He further questioned the integrity of such content, asking: 'Won't it weaken the nation to call citizens of our own land by such names?' He urged people across India to unite with mutual respect.

FIR in Tripura, Further Legal Action Sought

Barman confirmed that an FIR has already been registered in Tripura and called for Shokeen to face action under the state's jurisdiction as well. 'So that Shokeen gets to witness the culture of Tripura,' he said. He also made clear that a post-facto apology does not mitigate the offence: 'Apologising after committing a mistake in the fear of going to jail doesn't reduce your crime.'

Shokeen's Contradictory Response

Following the major social media backlash triggered by the viral video, Amir Shokeen issued an apology. However, in a Facebook post, he had claimed the video was scripted and that the victim was known to him — a claim Reang has now directly refuted. Shokeen's contradiction has drawn additional criticism and deepened scrutiny of his conduct.

This incident has reignited a broader national debate on racial discrimination, Northeast India representation, and accountability for social media content creators who monetise offensive material at the expense of marginalised communities. Authorities in Tripura are expected to pursue the registered FIR, with the TMP pressing for parallel legal proceedings.