New Delhi: The All-India Chakma Students’ Union (AICSU) on Wednesday strongly condemned Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s remarks on the murder of Anjel Chakma, alleging that his statement amounted to a denial of a racially motivated crime against a student from the Northeast.
AICSU took exception to Dhami’s comments made during an interview with Times Now on December 31, 2025, where he dismissed allegations of racial abuse preceding the killing by saying such “disgusting things do not happen here at all,” describing Uttarakhand as a “Dev Bhoomi.”
The interview can be viewed here.
Reacting sharply, AICSU president Drishyamuni Chakma said invoking the idea of “Dev Bhoomi” to brush aside the killing of a Northeast student was unacceptable. He alleged that the Chief Minister’s earlier assurances to Anjel Chakma’s father—a serving BSF jawan—were “pretentious” and meant only for public consumption, with no genuine intent to ensure justice.
The student body also reiterated its demand for action against Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh, IPS, accusing him of shielding the accused and downplaying the crime. AICSU referred to Singh’s remarks at a press conference, where he described the incident as occurring “in the heat of the moment” with “no intention to kill,” comments reported by NDTV and available here.
According to AICSU, the SSP not only diluted the seriousness of the crime but also blamed the victims’ family for the delay in filing the FIR, denied allegations of racist remarks, and allegedly engaged in character assassination of the deceased by referring to alcohol consumption at the time of the attack.
The union further alleged grave lapses in procedure, pointing out that no action has been taken against police officials for the three-day delay in registering the FIR, nor against the hospital for failing to inform the police despite Anjel Chakma being admitted in critical condition with stabbing and head injuries in what was clearly a medico-legal case.
AICSU questioned the credibility of the Uttarakhand government, stating that reliance on the accused’s version over eyewitness testimony, including that of Anjel’s brother Michael Chakma, reflected institutional bias and impunity.
While acknowledging the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), the organisation said it had little faith in the probe as the SIT remains under the state government’s control. It demanded an immediate transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), shifting of the trial to Delhi, and strict action against erring police officers and the hospital concerned.
Warning of escalation, AICSU said that failure to take “effective and tangible action” would compel Northeast students’ organisations to launch a larger movement seeking justice and accountability.
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