Arunachal student's death in Delhi sparks off anti-racial protests in Agartala

The death of Nido Taniam, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in New Delhi, sparked off anti-racial protests in Agartala, Tripura.

Some of the protesters also took part in a candlelight vigil and demanded improved security for the students.

Taniam was beaten up mercilessly in a busy market in New Delhi, and was declared dead at a hospital a day later.

There is a feeling of outrage within the northeast community over regular incidents of racial discrimination that they suffer at the hands of people in Delhi.

Taniam was allegedly beaten to death at Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi on January 29 as he got into a brawl with local shopkeepers while reacting to a verbal racial slur and taunts on his hair colour.

Youth in Agartala city came out in droves, as they demanded that the Special Armed Forces Act should be repealed.

"Our demand is that the northeastern students should be provided with 100 percent security and the special armed forces act should be removed from northeast. People should treat us equal and should not taunt northeastern students," said a protester, Tanay Singh.

Taniam, whose father is a Congress lawmaker in the Arunachal Pradesh state legislature, was studying in Jalandhar, Punjab, and had travelled to Delhi for a holiday.

His body was received by his relatives and other public leaders at Tamen in Lower Subansiri District on February 1. The post mortem report is awaited.

Students from India's northeast have always voiced against wide-scale discrimination meted out to hapless youngsters going to the national capital every year looking for better opportunities for education and career.