A roadside dispute triggered by alleged racial slurs in Dehradun has taken a tragic turn, resulting in a murder case after a 24-year-old student from Tripura lost his life. Angel Chakma, who had been fighting for survival for 17 days, died on Friday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital. Police said he had suffered critical injuries to his head and back during a violent clash earlier this month. Following his death, murder charges were added to the case, prompting authorities to broaden their investigation and intensify efforts to track down an accused who remains absconding.
According to police officials, the incident occurred on December 9 in the Selakui police station area. Angel Chakma and his brother Michael were at a canteen near a liquor shop when a group of men, allegedly drunk, passed racially abusive remarks at them. When the brothers objected, the exchange quickly escalated into a heated argument and then a brutal assault. Police said six men attacked Angel during the scuffle, using a sharp-edged weapon and a metal kada, leaving him with grievous injuries.
Senior officers said the accused appeared to be intoxicated, causing the situation to spiral out of control within minutes. Angel was repeatedly struck on the head and back and collapsed at the spot before being rushed to hospital for urgent medical care. Despite sustained treatment for more than two weeks, he succumbed to his injuries. His family lodged a complaint at Selakui police station on December 10, after which an FIR was registered and a special police team was formed to investigate the case thoroughly.
Police arrested three accused on December 14 and detained two minors during the initial phase of the probe. The accused have been identified as Avnish Negi, Shaurya Rajput, Suraj Khwas, Sumit and Ayush Baroni. One accused is still absconding, and investigators suspect he may have fled to Nepal. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information leading to his arrest. With murder charges now invoked, police are reassessing evidence and witness accounts, assuring strict action in the case.