The Uttarakhand Police on Monday said they have found no evidence so far that the killing of a 24-year-old Tripura student in Dehradun was racially motivated, underlining that one of the five accused arrested is from Manipur.
Angel Chakma, the student, died last week, days after he was allegedly called a “Chinese” and attacked with blunt objects.
PD Bhatt, an investigator, said allegations suggesting that racial slurs were hurled at Chakma before his murder were unfounded at this stage. “We have found no evidence so far to link the incident with racism. There is no basis for such allegations,” he said.
Bhatt said Chakma was attacked near a liquor shop where Suraj, the accused from Manipur, was celebrating his son’s birthday. Chakma and his brother, Michael, also purchased liquor from the shop. “An argument broke out between the two sides, which later escalated, resulting in the death of Chakma,” Bhatt said.
Michael said they were out to buy groceries on December 9 when a group of inebriated people started a fight, used racist slurs, and stabbed Chakma, who was rushed to a hospital, where he died on December 26.
{{/usCountry}}Michael said they were out to buy groceries on December 9 when a group of inebriated people started a fight, used racist slurs, and stabbed Chakma, who was rushed to a hospital, where he died on December 26.
{{/usCountry}}Bhatt said that the sixth accused, who is absconding, is from Nepal. “We are searching for him. Our teams are in Nepal. He will be arrested soon,” said Bhatt.
Bhatt said it is unclear who stabbed Chakma. “Those arrested are claiming that the absconding accused stabbed the victim. It will only be clear after his arrest who actually carried out the stabbing,” Bhatt said. He added that none of the accused has any criminal record and that further investigation is underway.
Police said two of the five arrested accused are minors.