Agartala (Tripura) [India], December 30 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of Angel Chakma, a student from the state who was killed in Uttarakhand's Dehradun, and said strict punishment must be ensured for the accused.
Chakma, an MBA student, was attacked by a group of miscreants with knives and other blunt objects in Dehradun on December 9 and later died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.
Speaking to ANI, the Chief Minister said he immediately spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami after receiving information about the case.
" It is very sad the way Tripura's Angel was killed in Uttarakhand's Dehradun. As soon as I got the information, I spoke to Uttarakhand CM Dhami, who condemned the incident. He informed that five people have been arrested in the case. I told him that the five arrested must be given strict punishment under the law. Tripura and Uttarakhand governments have given ex-gratia amounts of Rs 5 lakhs and around 4 lakhs, respectively, to the family of the deceased," Saha said.
Reiterating the state government's support to the grieving family, he said both the Tripura and Uttarakhand governments have extended financial assistance to the bereaved family and assured them of full support.
He also alleged that the "Opposition was indulging in politics" over the incident.
"We will extend all help to his family. The family knows that the government stands by them, and also understands that the Opposition is doing politics," he added.
Meanwhile, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Priyank Kanoongo on Tuesday said that cognisance has been taken of the murder of student Angel Chakma from Tripura, and authorities have been instructed to ensure the safety of students from the northeast residing in Uttarakhand.
"I have taken cognizance of the murder of a student from Tripura in Dehradun. Notice has been issued to the State Government seeking a report on action taken so far. The Chief Secretary and DGP have been directed to ensure, on highest priority, the safety of students from the Northeast across the state," Kanoongo posted on X.
The brutal killing of Angel Chakma, a student from Tripura, in Dehradun has sparked widespread outrage across the political fraternity, with leaders condemning the incident and demanding swift justice.
Five of the accused have already been arrested, including two minors sent to a juvenile reform home, while the sixth accused, a Nepalese national, remains at large with a reward of Rs 25,000 announced for his capture.
The Uttarakhand government has assured that all possible measures are being taken to ensure the perpetrators face the harshest possible punishment and to ensure the safety of northeast students across the country.'
However, the opposition has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government at both the Centre and the State level of spreading "hatred", which allegedly resulted in the killing of the student.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of "normalising hate", which he said was leading to such incidents.
"What happened to Angel Chakma and his brother Michael in Dehradun is a horrific hate crime. Hate doesn't appear overnight. For years now it is being fed daily - especially to our youth - through toxic content and irresponsible narratives. And it's being normalised by the hate-spewing leadership of the ruling BJP," Lok Sabha LoP said in a post on X."India is built on respect and unity, not fear and abuse. We are a country of love and diversity. We must not become a dead society that looks away while fellow Indians are targeted. We must reflect and confront what we are allowing our country to become," he added.