Influencer Amir Shokeen Booked for Racial Harassment of Tripura Youth
Delhi Police book influencer Amir Shokeen after a viral video showing the racial harassment of a youth from Tripura sparks widespread outrage.
Delhi Police have registered a formal case against social media influencer Amir Shokeen following a wave of massive outrage over a viral video showing the public humiliation and racial harassment of a youth from Tripura. The incident, which has sparked anger across the Northeast, has now drawn the attention of the Tripura state government and high-ranking police officials.
The Viral Video and the Outrage
The controversy began when a video surfaced on Wednesday, showing the harassment of a youth from Tripura. While the incident actually took place on September 19, the footage resurfaced and went viral, leading to immediate condemnation from the Tripura Students Forum Delhi. Members of the forum, including Bir Siraj Debbarma, reported that they learned the victim's identity and origin through the video, and immediately approached the Special Police Unit for the North Eastern Region (SPUNER) to seek action.
Coordination Between Delhi and Tripura Police
Initially, the Tripura Students Forum Delhi faced hurdles in filing a case because they lacked the specific location of the incident and the victim's contact details. However, with the support of the SPUNER DCP, a formal complaint was filed, and it was recommended that the case be registered with the IFSO.
The matter has escalated to the highest levels of Tripura's administration. The Director General of Police (DGP) of Tripura, GS Rao, confirmed that both the victim and the perpetrator have been identified. He stated that the video came to their notice on Wednesday evening, leading to the prompt registration of an FIR and the dispatch of a special team from Tripura to the national capital to coordinate with Delhi Police for strict legal action.
Legal Action and the Accused's History
Delhi Police have booked Amir Shokeen Shokeen under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including:
- Section 192: Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot.
- Section 196: Promoting enmity between different groups.
- Section 252: Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.
- Section 193: Statements conducing to public mischief.
Police investigations revealed that the influencer has a prior criminal record, including cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for voluntarily causing hurt, using dangerous weapons, intentional insult, and criminal intimidation.
A Pattern of Racial Hate
Shakti Debbarma of the Tripura Students Forum Delhi expressed deep concern over the recurring nature of these incidents. He highlighted that racial harassment against people from the Northeast has been recurring issue, citing the tragedy of Nido Taniam in 2014 and the recent murder of Angel Chakma in Dehradun, where the victim was reportedly called "Chinese" and "Chinki".
"Such incidents are getting worse day by day, and we want to stop this. We want the authorities to take steps and people to understand that such behaviour is unacceptable," said Shakti Debbarma.
The Tripura Chief Minister is personally monitoring the situation, and the state's DGP has assured that justice will be delivered to the victim.