'Were you sitting here to...': Three women from Arunachal Pradesh face racial abuse; demand apology

Three women from Arunachal Pradesh, currently living in Delhi, have filed a complaint accusing their neighbours of racial abuse and humiliation during a dispute that escalated over a minor repair job. The incident took place on the afternoon of February 20 in Malviya Nagar, when the women were having electrical and drilling work done in their rented flat. According to the women, the work caused dust and small debris to fall into the apartment below, leading to a confrontation with their neighbours, Harsh Singh and his wife.

Instead of resolving the issue amicably, the women allege that Singh and his wife hurled racial slurs and made derogatory remarks targeting their ethnicity. Videos of the heated argument, which later went viral on social media, show one of the accused allegedly asking one of the women, “Were you sitting here to do ‘business’? Have you opened a ‘massage parlour’ at home?” These comments were reportedly made by Singh’s wife.

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The women responded by defending themselves, with one saying, “Everyone heard what you said about my image. You made false allegations that I drink alcohol.” She further challenged the couple to check her room for any alcohol bottles, saying, “Go and check my room for any bottles.” The confrontation escalated, and the women described the incident as not only a personal humiliation but also an insult to the entire northeastern community. They have since demanded a formal apology from the accused.

An FIR was filed at the Malviya Nagar Police Station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those related to promoting communal hatred and insulting the modesty of a woman. While no physical injuries were reported, the women have said that the emotional and mental distress caused by the incident was significant.