New Delhi: Close on the heels of death of Michael Chakma in a racial attack in Uttarakhand ,a 22-year-old postgraduate student from Assam was allegedly assaulted inside a central university hostel in Madhya Pradesh.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the safety of students from the Northeast and incidents of racial profiling on campuses.
The victim, Hirok Jyoti Das, a postgraduate student of Economics at the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU), Amarkantak, was attacked inside a boys’ hostel in the early hours of January 13.
According to Das and his friends, a group of fellow students forced their way into his room between 3 am and 4 am, questioned him about his identity and place of origin, and assaulted him after learning that he was from Assam.
Das alleged that the attack was unprovoked and accompanied by threats. He sustained multiple injuries, including a fractured nasal bone, facial trauma, blood clots in his eyes and injuries to his lips and temples.
He was initially treated at a local facility before being shifted to a hospital in neighbouring Chhattisgarh’s Gaurela Pendra Marwahi district due to the seriousness of his condition.
Police in Anuppur district said an FIR has been registered against five accused students — Anurag Pandey, Jatin Singh, Rajnish Tripathi, Vishal Yadav and Utkarsh Singh.
"They have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including voluntarily causing hurt, obscene acts and words, criminal intimidation and common intention," the Police added.
The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the circumstances of the incident, including whether racial slurs were used and whether alcohol consumption played a role.