Leaders condemn killing of Tripura student

'National disgrace', say leaders calling for zero tolerance against ‘hate crimes’ targeting NE people after killing of Tripura student

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke to the father of the student from Tripura, who was killed in an alleged racial attack here, on phone Monday and assured strict punishment to the accused, as leaders cutting across political lines called for comprehensive efforts to end “hate crimes” against the people from the northeastern states.

On Dhami’s instruction, the Uttarakhand government also sent a cheque of Rs 4.12 lakh to the Chakma family as first instalment of financial assistance, officials said.

Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders targeted the BJP, alleging that the murder of MBA student Anjel Chakma, 24, was a fallout of the ruling dispensation “normalizing” hate and encouraging a “divisive mindset”. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded that the Supreme Court step in and ensure justice.

Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor said the brutal killing “is a national disgrace”, and political and religious leaders must speak out against the abuse of the people from the Northeast as “silence is complicity”.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju expressed “dismay and anger” over the killing and called upon the people to fight against such “mindset” together, saying any such incident is “very shameful” and harms the country. He said the issue should not be politicised.