A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking urgent action against racially motivated violence faced by people from India’s North-Eastern states. The plea follows the death of 24-year-old MBA student Angel Chakma from Tripura, who succumbed to serious injuries on December 27, 2025, after a racially charged assault in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The petition was filed by Anoop Prakash Awasthi under Article 32 of the Constitution. He argues that the Indian legal system has failed to properly recognise and address crimes driven by racial hatred. It says that such violence continues due to the absence of clear laws, guidelines, and institutional mechanisms.
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What happened to Angel Chakma?
According to media reports, the incident took place on December 9, 2025, in the Selaqui area of Dehradun. Angel Chakma and his younger brother were allegedly targeted with racial slurs by a group of men because of their North-Eastern appearance. When Angel objected and asserted his identity, he reportedly said, “We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?”
The confrontation allegedly turned violent, with both brothers being beaten and stabbed. Angel suffered serious injuries to his neck and spine and remained unconscious during treatment. After more than fourteen days in the hospital, he died on December 27. His death sparked protests and widespread demands for justice across the country.
The petition states that despite the clear racial motive, such crimes are often registered as ordinary offences. It argues that there is no legal requirement for police to record racial or hate-based intent at the FIR stage, which leads to dilution of the seriousness of such cases and allows offenders to escape stronger accountability.
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Gaps in the law and demands before the Supreme Court
The plea refers to past incidents, including the 2014 death of Nido Taniam and several attacks on people from the North-East in Indian cities. While the Union government has acknowledged the issue in Parliament, the petition says no dedicated legal framework has been created to address racial violence.
It points out that even after the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 came into force, there is still no statutory recognition of hate crimes or racial offences. According to the petition, this gap violates Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21 of the Constitution and weakens the idea of fraternity mentioned in the Preamble.
Citing the Supreme Court’s Vishaka judgement, the petitioner has urged the Court to issue binding guidelines until proper legislation is enacted. The plea seeks recognition of “racial slur” as a separate category of hate crime, stricter punishment for offenders, and the creation of nodal agencies at both the Central and State levels.
