New Delhi: Three women from North-East India were allegedly subjected to racial abuse and intimidation by their neighbours Friday in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, over a dispute that escalated on electrical repair work at their rented accommodation.
A case has been registered at the Malviya Nagar police station under BNS Sections 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 351(2) (criminal intimidation including threatening harm to a person, their property, reputation, or loved ones to cause fear or force them to do something they are not legally required to do), 3(5) (liability for acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention), and 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., & doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) against Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain, both residents of the locality, in connection with the incident of alleged racial abuse and criminal intimidation.
The three young women, who chose to remain anonymous, are working and studying in Delhi. Two of them belong to Arunachal Pradesh while the third one is from Manipur. While the complainant herself is currently preparing for the civil services, one of her housemates is a student while the the other works as an OTT technician.
Speaking to ThePrint, the 23-year-old complainant said that the they had called an electrician to their home for AC repair work, when a scuffle broke out between the workman and the couple living in the house below.
“The two neighbours started fighting with the electrician, and when I intervened, they started abusing me. She asked me if I was a sex worker, and if we were there to do ‘business’,” the complainant alleged. “She asked me if we had opened a massage parlour at home,” she added.
“We hope the police takes the matter seriously, and takes action against this behavior. Every other month there is an incident where we are subjected to such abuse, and for what?” she said.
DCP (south) Ankit Chauhan said that on 20 February, around 3.30 pm, the three women, residing as tenants in Malviya Nagar police station limits, were getting electrical installation work done in their rented premises when the incident happened.
“During the process, some dust allegedly fell into the premises of the accused residing below,” DCP Chauhan said.
“It is alleged that following this, the accused persons verbally abused the complainants, and made derogatory and racial remarks targeting them as women belonging to North-East region, the complainants further alleged that objectionable language was used, their modesty was insulted and they were criminally intimidated,” he added.
The police clarified that no physical injuries were reported, though mental harassment and humiliation have been alleged.
(Edited by Niyati Kothiyal)