Northeastern students seek justice

New Delhi  :  Demanding justice, students from the country’s northeastern states held a protest here Saturday at the market where a 19-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh was beaten up, leading to his death.

Scores of protesters held placards, raised slogans against discrimination and demanded justice.

“It is a shocking incident and it is not the first time. It is not just about people from northeast, people from outside always face discrimination here,” said a protester.

“We want Delhi chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) to deliver justice to us,” said another protester.

A group of people from the northeastern states also met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Harsh Vardhan.

“I hope prime minister (Manmohan Singh), home minister (Sushilkumar Shinde) and chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) will rise to the occasion,” the BJP leader said.

Nido Taniam, 19-year-old son of an Arunachal Pradesh Congress legislator, died here Thursday after being beaten up by two shopkeepers following a row over his appearance and clothing.

Activists and people from the northeast termed it a “racial attack” while the region’s parliamentarians said they would take up the matter with the prime minister.

The attack took place at the crowded Lajpat Nagar I market here Wednesday afternoon.