Dehradun Police on Thursday said that extradition proceedings were underway to bring back the prime accused in the racially motivated killing of Tripura student Anjel Chakma.
Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh told ANI that the Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) has sent a report to the central agency seeking the extradition of Yagyaraj Awasthi, the main accused in the case from Nepal.
A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information leading to his arrest and a non-bailable warrant has been issued against him.
Anjel, 24, a final-year MBA student from Tripura, died on December 26 in a Dehradun hospital after being attacked with knives and brass knuckles.
The incident followed a confrontation on December 9, when Anjel and his younger brother Michael were stopped by a group of men at a local market.
The attackers allegedly hurled racial slurs at the brothers before assaulting them.
The killing triggered protests in Tripura and led to multiple arrests. The Uttarakhand government has assured strict legal action against those involved.
Of the six accused named in the case, five have been arrested so far. Two were found to be underage and sent to a correctional home, while three are in judicial custody.
On Wednesday, Tripura chief minister Manik Saha met the family of Anjel at their residence and assured them that justice would be delivered.
Speaking to ANI after the meeting, Saha said he has been in constant touch with Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami over the case.
“I have spoken to Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami several times. He has assured me that those involved in this matter will not be spared. 5 out of 6 people have also been arrested. It is a very painful incident. May his soul rest in peace,” Saha said.
Anjel’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma, said the chief minister had assured the family that justice would be served.
“The chief minister has assured that justice will be delivered. He said he would be speaking with the Uttarakhand CM when he visits Delhi. My younger son is mentally disturbed; he doesn’t talk much. The CM has said that he will try to provide a job for him also,” he said.
The first information report in the case also states that the accused threatened to kill the brothers if they reported the incident to the police.
All India Chakma Students Union president Drishyamuni Chakma told ANI that the organisation has requested the trial to be held in the national capital to ensure an impartial and fair judgement.
He said the chief minister has assured assistance in every possible way throughout the investigation.