Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Monday that racial harassment against people of the region cannot be accepted as the “new normal”. Sangma was reacting to reports of two persons from Manipur and Assam being mugged at the Saket District Court complex in Delhi on Sunday.
“Angry at the repeated attacks on Northeast people in mainland India. The physical attack on two of our people from Manipur and Assam near Saket Court, Delhi is abhorrent. Racial bullying should not be accepted as the new norm and we must act against it. Urge the authorities to take strict action,” Sangma said.
Manipur woman boyfriend assaulted
According to the police, the incident happened on Sunday evening when a woman from Manipur and her friend were walking in a park near Saket Court Complex.
A group of men are said to have commented on them.
The woman, who sustained injuries in the incident, was taken to Safdarjung Hospital for medical examination and treatment.
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“When one of the women objected to the statements, an argument broke out and the accused allegedly assaulted her,” said the police officer.
“After receiving information about the incident, the police team arrived at the scene and contacted the victim. The teams are in constant contact with her and further steps will be taken based on her statement,” he said.
Delhi Police is responding
In response to Sangma’s post on X, the Delhi Police said a criminal case has been registered under relevant sections of the Act.
“Delhi Police teams are in constant touch with the victim and are providing all necessary assistance. Several teams have already been deployed to identify and nab the accused at the earliest,” the police said.
“Delhi Police does not tolerate such incidents. Strict legal action will be taken against the culprits,” the police said.
Later, Delhi Police said that a juvenile has been arrested and efforts are on to nab the other accused.
Second incident in Delhi
This is the second case of racial abuse of people from North East in Delhi in recent times.
In February, three women from Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur were subjected to racial abuse and intimidation by neighbors in Malviya Nagar over a minor dispute.
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The accused couple, Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain, were arrested on February 25 after videos of the incident went viral on social media.
The court denied bail to the accused
On Monday, a Delhi court refused to grant bail to the pair.
The defense attorney for the accused argued that the present case was only a spontaneous dispute between two neighbors, when both parties used dubious expressions and derogatory remarks. It was not a case of racial discrimination attracting charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act because the accused were not aware that the complainants were tribals. They did not use any language specifically aimed at their tribal identity, he said.
Counsel for the complainant opposed the bail application as the investigation is still ongoing and the accused may try to influence prosecution witnesses if released.
Key things
- The incident highlights the ongoing racial discrimination against individuals from the northeastern region of India.
- There is an urgent need for stronger laws and enforcement to protect vulnerable communities from racial violence.
- Public awareness and political advocacy are key to combating racial bullying and ensuring justice.
