‘We’re exhausted and grieving’: Anjel Chakma’s brother urges media to stop interview requests

DEHRADUN: An emotional social media post by Michael Chakma, whose elder brother Anjel Chakma was killed in an attack in Dehradun, has brought renewed attention to the case, even as police said they were open to considering fresh statements from the family regarding alleged racial slurs by the accused.

In a video montage shared on Tuesday evening, Michael urged media houses to stop seeking interviews, saying he needed time and space to grieve.



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"I respectfully request all media houses, television channels and journalists to please stop pressuring me for interviews or explanations. I spoke to some media outlets, but at this moment, I am completely exhausted. I lost my brother, and I am still trying to accept the unbearable loss," he said in the post.”




"I am not in a position to speak further and relive this pain again and again. I need time and space for me and my family to grieve, to breathe, and to begin healing," he added. "I love you mere bhai."

Anjel Chakma, a youth from Tripura, was stabbed during an altercation in a public area of Dehradun on December 9 and succumbed to his injuries on December 26. Michael was the lone eyewitness to the incident.

Meanwhile, Dehradun police said they were willing to examine any new statements from the family regarding allegations that racial slurs were used during the attack, days after initially ruling out such an angle based on their preliminary investigation.

Senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said on Monday that the investigation so far did not indicate the use of racial slurs in the assault on Anjel and Michael. “The incident appeared to have happened in the heat of the moment, in a busy public place, where remarks exchanged between the six accused among themselves were mistaken as being directed at the Chakma brothers,” Singh said.

However, Michael and his father, Tarun Chakma, a Border Security Force head constable, had earlier told media outlets that the attackers hurled slurs such as “Chinese, Chinki and Momo”. According to the family, the brothers objected to these remarks, which escalated into the assault that led to Anjel’s fatal injuries.

Singh maintained that the police version was based on evidence collected so far.

"The investigation so far suggests no racial slurs were hurled. The derogatory comments were passed between the accused in a lighter vein. There was confusion amid the crowd noise that led the brothers to believe the remarks were directed at them. The entire episode unfolded within minutes, ” he said.

The SSP also noted that Michael’s original complaint mentioned “casteist slurs” but did not specifically refer to racial terms.

"The family remained in Dehradun till Dec 27 but did not tell police about racial slurs. If they are now saying this to media, we are not aware of it. We will check this and include it if the family shares it with us. We have never denied incorporating any fresh claims beyond what was in the complaint, "Singh added.

Police have formed a special investigation team to trace and arrest the lone absconding accused, identified as Yagya Awasthi, who allegedly stabbed Anjel with a knife picked up from a nearby egg stall.