A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court to seek judicial intervention for addressing racial discrimination and violence against citizens from northeastern states and other frontier regions of India. This legal action follows the tragic killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old MBA student from Tripura, who died on December 26 from injuries sustained in a racially motivated attack in Dehradun. Anjel, originally from the Unakoti district, was stabbed in front of his younger brother, Michael, after moving to Dehradun for his studies. His family demands capital punishment or life imprisonment for the accused. The PIL is filed by Anoop Prakash Awasthi, representing the Centre and all states and Union territories. It seeks a writ under Article 32 of the Constitution for violations of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a) & (g), and 21. The petition highlights the need for judicial action against racial violence and reaffirms the identity of individuals from northeastern states as equal Indian citizens, emphasizing the grievous nature of Anjel’s last words reflecting his constitutional belonging in the face of violence.
