Guwahati, Feb 25: Delhi Police have arrested a woman in connection with the alleged racial abuse and criminal intimidation of three women from Arunachal Pradesh in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, triggering strong reactions across the Northeast.
According to police, the three women — tenants in Malviya Nagar — were allegedly subjected to racial slurs and threats by a local couple. A case has been registered at Malviya Nagar Police Station under Sections 79, 351(2), 3(5), and 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Harsh Singh and his wife, Ruby Jain, residents of the area. Police confirmed that one of the accused has been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other.
The incident drew sharp condemnation from political leaders.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta termed the episode unacceptable, stating in a video message shared on X that “Delhi belongs to everyone.”
“The dignity, respect, and safety of every citizen is paramount. We will ensure the strictest possible action against the culprits. Harassing, discriminating against, or humiliating any daughter will not be tolerated at any cost,” she said.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also condemned the incident, calling such behaviour “absolutely unacceptable.”
“I had spoken with the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, immediately after learning about the incident and sought swift and strict action. The accused will be apprehended at the earliest and dealt with as per law,” Khandu said.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said his office had been in touch with the victims “since day one” and was coordinating with Delhi Police to ensure the matter was not ignored.
“If any incident occurs in Delhi involving anyone from the Northeast, we take immediate action. I have been following up personally, and arrests have been made,” he said.
Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjya, Chief Adviser of AASU, described the episode as part of a broader pattern of discrimination faced by people from the region.
“For decades, the Northeastern part of India has been otherised within its own country. What happened to the women from Arunachal Pradesh in Delhi is not an isolated incident; it reflects a pattern of racial discrimination that people from the region endure far too often,” he said, demanding strict prosecution of those responsible.
Meanwhile, in a separate but similar incident, a 27-year-old third-year resident doctor from Nagaland, pursuing her postgraduate degree in obstetrics and gynaecology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Gorakhpur, was allegedly stalked, racially abused, and molested near the institute’s campus on February 22.
The back-to-back incidents have once again brought the spotlight on the recommendations of the Bezbaruah Committee, constituted in 2014 to examine concerns of discrimination against people from the Northeast.
The committee had recommended specific legal provisions to address racial discrimination, sensitisation of law enforcement agencies, and stronger institutional safeguards — measures that activists say require more effective implementation.
The developments have reignited concerns over the safety and dignity of Northeastern citizens living outside the region, with renewed calls for stricter enforcement of anti-discrimination laws.
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