New Delhi: Three women from Arunachal Pradesh have alleged that they were subjected to racist abuse, humiliation and intimidation by their neighbors in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, following a dispute over repair work in their rented apartment.A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media. TOI cannot guarantee the authenticity of the video.
In the video, the accused woman can be heard calling women ‘Momo’ and asking: “Rs 500 massage parlor mee kaam karne wali dandhwali (You work in massage parlors as sex workers for Rs 500). Are you sitting here doing business? Have you opened a massage parlor at home?”The two women called an electrician to install an air conditioner in their fourth-floor apartment on February 20 at about 3:30 p.m.
Dust and debris from the excavation work fell to the ground below, sparking objections from their neighbours, Harsh Singh and his wife Ruby Jain, news agency PTI reported.What started as a disagreement quickly escalated into verbal abuse and racially charged statements targeting the Northeast community.The accused also allegedly made offensive remarks, calling the women “gutters”, telling them to “go and sell momos” and saying “North-East people are dirty”.
The man, Harsh Singh, was also heard using insulting language. At one point, the accused woman claimed her social and economic superiority, saying: “Tere ukat nahi hai…customs officer ka beta hai woh…politician ka beta hai (You have no standards. He is the son of a customs officer…the son of a politician).”A police officer was present during the altercation and was seen in the video trying to calm the situation.
The women confronted the couple in the footage, with one saying: “Everyone heard what I said about my picture. I made false claims that I was drinking alcohol. Go check my room if you find any bottles in there.”The women filed a complaint with Malviya Nagar police station. The FIR was registered under Sections 79 of BNS (word intended to insult the modesty of women), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 3(5) (common intention), 196 (promoting hostility on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.).
against the spouses. Article 196 is non-bailable and cognizable. No arrests have been made so far, according to the agency. “No physical injuries were reported. However, the complainants alleged that they were subjected to mental harassment and humiliation,” a senior police officer said. The women demanded an official apology, saying the remarks targeted the dignity of the north-eastern community.The situation reportedly worsened when the builder informed the women that they would have to vacate the apartment within two months due to planned repair work. The complainants expressed concerns about their safety and future accommodation.Police said further investigations are underway in this matter.
