Tripura declares Rs 5L assistance for Anjel’s family

Agartala: The Tripura govt on Tuesday announced a one-time financial aid of Rs 5 lakh for the family of Anjel Chakma, who died last week following an alleged racial attack in Dehradun, and said it would make every effort to ensure justice.Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke with Anjel’s father, Tarun Chakma, a BSF jawan, on Monday, expressing grief over the incident and assuring that the guilty “will not be spared under any circumstances” and “will be awarded the strictest punishment in accordance with the law.”Dhami said concrete steps were being taken to ensure the safety of students from the northeast studying in Uttarakhand, and that the state govt stood with the victim’s family “with full sensitivity and resolve,” and was committed to ensuring justice.Anjel died after a 17-day battle in hospital following an alleged racial attack by a group that included individuals from Manipur and Nepal, prompting student organisations to continue protests demanding justice and a law to protect NE people in mainland India.Dhami confirmed that he has dispatched a police team to Nepal to locate the main suspect, Yagya Awasthi, and announced a reward for his capture, according to sources from Anjel’s family. The family expressed dissatisfaction with the Uttarakhand Police, alleging an FIR was registered three days after being notified and that police did not act on complaints until Dec 26.TIPRA Motha founder and Tripura BJP ally Pradyot Kishore Debbarman announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for anyone who can assist police in apprehending the fugitive, citing frustration over the pace of the investigation. After the Uttarakhand govt offered a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to the arrest, Debbarman asked, “Is this the worth of Anjel’s life?” and urged officials not to trivialise crimes against indigenous communities.According to reports, Uttarakhand Police have arrested five suspects in the case. Tripura CM Manik Saha and former CM and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb spoke to Dhami again on Monday, seeking stringent action against those responsible.The 24-year-old MBA student and his younger brother, Michael, were attacked in the Selakui area of Dehradun on December 9 while out shopping. Anjel died on Dec 26 during treatment, while Michael has been recovering.