BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 18th February 2026: The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking nationwide guidelines to curb racially motivated violence against citizens from the North-Eastern states, directing the petitioner to place the concerns before the Attorney General of India.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul Pancholi, described the recent killing of a student from Tripura in Dehradun as “unfortunate.” The Bench observed that, at this stage, it would be appropriate for the issues raised to be examined by the competent authority through the Attorney General’s office.
The PIL, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, contended that despite the enactment of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, Indian criminal law still does not provide explicit statutory recognition of hate crimes. It also flagged the absence of mandatory recording of bias motivation at the FIR stage, along with the lack of specialised investigative mechanisms and victim protection frameworks.
Appearing in person, petitioner Anoop Prakash Awasthi urged the Court to consider institutional grievance redressal systems, particularly within educational campuses, to address identity-based discrimination. “It is very painful. I have so many friends from the Northeast. This exists. Nobody can deny it,” he submitted.
However, the Bench expressed reservations about introducing region-specific mechanisms, cautioning that such measures could undermine national cohesion. “We have a strong federal structure. We are supposed to be stronger with unity and not to be identified with regions,” the Chief Justice remarked.
The plea was filed against the backdrop of the December 9, 2025 assault and death of Angel Chakma, a final-year MBA student from Tripura, who was allegedly attacked in Dehradun’s Selaqui area after being subjected to racial slurs. Quoting his final words, the petition stated: “We are not Chinese… We are Indians. What certificate should we show to prove that?”
Arguing that such offences are often treated as ordinary crimes, the petition said this approach erases their constitutional gravity. Referring to earlier incidents, including the 2014 killing of Nido Taniam, it maintained that racially motivated violence against citizens from the Northeast is a recurring issue acknowledged by the Union government.
The PIL had sought binding nationwide guidelines to recognise racially driven violence as a distinct constitutional wrong and to ensure the protection of dignity, equality, and fraternity for all citizens.
