A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court after the death of a young student from Tripura, with the petitioner urging the court to recognise racial slurs and racially motivated attacks as hate crimes in India. The case has drawn fresh attention to the long-standing concern that people from the North-East often face discrimination and abuse in different parts of the country.
The plea follows the death of 24-year-old MBA student, Anjel Chakma, who was studying in Dehradun. He passed away on December 26, 2025, after battling for his life for more than two weeks. Chakma had been stabbed during an alleged racially motivated assault on December 9 in the Selaqui area on the outskirts of Dehradun.
The petition has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by Anoop Prakash Awasthi, who has requested the court to intervene and treat racially motivated crimes as a special category of offence. The plea argues that there has been a failure on the part of the state machinery to protect citizens from the North-East, who continue to face threats, insults, violence, and humiliation on account of their appearance and identity.
According to reports, Chakma and his younger brother were out shopping when they were allegedly confronted by a group of men. The group is said to have hurled racial slurs at them, mocking their looks and origin. The situation soon turned violent, and both brothers were beaten and stabbed. Chakma suffered serious injuries to his neck and spine and remained unconscious until his death.
The petition states that the incident highlights a deeper problem. It says that India’s criminal justice system does not recognise racial bias during the investigation of crimes. As a result, even when an attack clearly involves racial hatred, it is treated like an ordinary criminal case. The petitioner argues that this approach weakens the seriousness of such acts and allows the pattern of racial hostility to continue without proper accountability.
The plea also points out that this is not an isolated case. It recalls earlier incidents, including the 2014 death of Nido Taniam, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, who died after being assaulted in Delhi following racial taunts. It notes that many students and workers from the North-East have reported similar abuse in big cities across India over the years.
The petition further states that although the Union government has acknowledged the existence of racial discrimination in replies to Parliament, there is still no dedicated law or institutional system to handle these types of offences. Even newly enacted criminal laws such as the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 do not contain provisions that recognise hate crime or racial violence as a separate category.
At present, police do not have to record racial motivation or bias in First Information Reports (FIRs). There are also no special guidelines for investigating such offences or protecting victims and witnesses. The plea argues that this absence of legal recognition violates Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee equality, non-discrimination and the right to life. It also says that it goes against the constitutional value of fraternity.
