4 minors held for harassing Manipur woman, her friend in south Delhi

The incident follows another case approximately two weeks ago when three women from the North-East were subjected to threats and racial slurs in Malviya Nagar, leading to the arrest of a couple.

Police on Monday apprehended four minor boys for allegedly assaulting and racially abusing a woman from Manipur and her friend inside a park in south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar a day earlier, officials said.

The woman, a lawyer living in south Delhi, told HT that the boys also attempted to stab her during the assault.

The woman, a lawyer living in south Delhi, told HT that the boys also attempted to stab her during the assault. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders and members of the Northeast community in Delhi.

According to police, the woman and her friend were walking at Satpula Park in Malviya Nagar around 5:30pm on Sunday when a group of boys began passing sexual slurs. “When we objected, they became aggressive and called us even more aggressive sexual slurs and racist remarks. They then started physically assaulting me,” the woman said.

She stated that one boy punched her in the face. As she attempted to flee, the accused followed her. “We ran away after their violent attack. They did not stop after beating me. They took a knife and tried to stab me. It’s an act of attempted murder. While I was running, I fell down on the road. They took a belt with metal spikes and struck the back of my head. We were begging them to stop and called out for help, but no one came forward,” she recounted.

The injured woman’s sister expressed anguish. “My sister and her friend had only objected to being catcalled. While police have helped us, such instances are happening against people from the North-East again and again. Why is there so much hatred for us?”

The incident follows another case approximately two weeks ago when three women from the North-East were subjected to threats, racial slurs, and humiliation in Malviya Nagar, leading to the arrest of a couple.

Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma posted on X: “Angered by the repeated attacks on North East people in mainland India. The physical attack on two of our people from Manipur and Assam near Saket Court, Delhi is sickening. Racial bullying should not be accepted as the new normal.”

Former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh also condemned the incident. “Such acts of racism and violence are completely unacceptable. People from the North East must feel safe, respected, and treated with dignity in every part of our country.”

Both leaders later posted appreciation for police after the four boys were apprehended.

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Anant Mittal said the injured woman sustained minor injuries on her face and near her right ear. Multiple raids were conducted, and with the help of CCTV footage, all four boys were held. Three of the boys are school dropouts, while one is a Class 7 student at a government school.