Agartala : Police in Dehradun on Monday ruled out a racial motive in the killing of Anjel Chakma, a 24-year-old student from Tripura pursuing an MBA in Uttarakhand, even as student organisations and political leaders continued to describe the incident as a hate crime targeting people from the Northeast.

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh, who is supervising the investigation, said the assault was not triggered by racial slurs or identity-based hatred. “Our investigation so far indicates that both the victim and one of the accused belong to Northeast India. Therefore, the question of a racial slur does not arise,” Singh said, adding that the incident stemmed from a “misunderstanding” during a group interaction.

According to police, the accused have claimed that Anjel Chakma and his brother Michael misinterpreted remarks made within the group, leading to an altercation that later turned violent. However, investigators said they were continuing to examine all aspects of the case, including statements from witnesses and forensic evidence.

Three accused have been arrested so far: Avinash Negi (25) of Sahaspur in Dehradun, Suraj Khawas (18) from Manipur who was residing in Patel Nagar, and Sumit (25) of Tilwari in Dehradun. Two minors allegedly involved in the assault have been sent to a juvenile correction facility.

Another accused, Yagya Raj Awasthi (22), a resident of Kanchanpur in Nepal, is currently absconding. Police have announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest, with teams deployed in Haridwar and across the India-Nepal border.

The assault took place on December 9, when Anjel was allegedly attacked and left critically injured. He was admitted to Graphic Era Hospital in Dehradun, where he remained under treatment for over two weeks before succumbing to his injuries on December 26.

The case has triggered widespread outrage, particularly among student bodies and civil society groups from the Northeast, many of whom have described the killing as a racially motivated attack and demanded stronger legal safeguards for people from the region studying or working outside their home states.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the incident, stating that such crimes would not be tolerated in the state. On December 29, the Chief Minister spoke with Anjel’s father, Tarun Prasad Chakma, assuring him of a fair and transparent investigation.

The Chief Minister’s Office also announced immediate financial assistance of Rs 4,12,500 to the family under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, and the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.

Family members said Anjel had recently secured a job placement with sportswear brand Decathlon and was preparing to begin work in either Kolkata or Assam. His maternal uncle, Momin Chakma, said the young man was deeply focused on supporting his family.

“After completing his studies, Anjel wanted to take responsibility for the entire family. His primary wish was to ensure voluntary retirement for his father, who serves in the Border Security Force,” he said.

The political fallout from the case has continued, with Union minister Kiren Rijiju earlier calling for stronger protection of people from the Northeast across the country. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also weighed in on Monday, describing the killing as a “horrific hate crime” and criticising the BJP-led Uttarakhand government, even as police maintained that the investigation had not found evidence of a racial angle so far.

Authorities said the probe remains ongoing and assured that all those responsible would be brought to justice, regardless of the motive established at the conclusion of the investigation.