NEW DELHI, Feb 22: Days after the brutal assault on a Tripura woman by her live-in partner in the national capital, three women from Arunachal Pradesh were allegedly subjected to racial slurs, humiliation and intimidation by their neighbours, who called them “dhandhewali” (sex workers), following a dispute over some repair work at their rented flat in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar.
The police said an FIR under BNS sections pertaining to outraging a woman’s modesty and promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, etc. has been registered against two people — Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain.
However, no arrests have been made in the matter so far. Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is a non-bailable and cognisable offense.
On February 20, the women had called an electrician at their fourth-floor flat around 3.30 pm for getting an air conditioner installed.
A senior police officer said during the process, dust and debris from the drilling work fell to the floor below, prompting objections from their neighbours, Harsh Singh and his wife.
What began as a disagreement over falling debris soon turned ugly, with the women alleging that the couple hurled abuses and made derogatory and racial remarks targeting them and the northeastern community.
A purported video of the incident also has been making rounds on social media.
In the video, the accused woman can allegedly be heard calling the women “momo” and saying, “Rs 500 mei massage parlour mei kaam karne waali dhandhewali (You work at massage parlours as sex workers for Rs 500).” The accused woman was also seen saying that the man they are talking to is a son of a “politician”.
The women further alleged that they were subjected to racist abuse. The accused duo, in the video, can be heard calling the victims “gutter-chaap” (lowlife) and telling them to “go and sell momos” and saying “Northeast people are shit”.
The women have demanded a formal apology from the accused, stating that the remarks were not merely personal but targeted the dignity of the northeastern community.
The police said further investigation into the matter is underway.
Advocate Reena Rai, representing the three women, said the incident reflects the persistent racial prejudice faced by people from the Northeast in the national capital.
“As neighbours, they should have provided these women, who live far away from home, a sense of security. Instead, they harassed them and made filthy remarks,” said Rai, who hails from Sikkim.
“We are as much Indian as anyone else. Why are we treated like outsiders just because we are from the Northeast? We, too, have the right to live with equality and dignity,” she added. (PTI)
