New Delhi, February 23 The North East Students Society Delhi University (NESSDU) has condemned an incident involving alleged racial harassment against three Arunachali students in the national capital, calling for strict and immediate action against those responsible.
In a statement issued on Monday, the student body said the three women faced verbal harassment, racist slurs, and intimidation on February 19 while installing an air conditioner at their rented residence in Malviya Nagar, Delhi.
It said the situation escalated unnecessarily, even though the electrician apologized for the dust that accidentally fell on the lower floor due to the repair work.
The purported video of the incident, which is widely circulating on social media, shows the women being racially abused and called derogatory names, including a reference that they run a massage parlor.
Delhi police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code on charges of outraging the modesty of a woman and promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, etc., against two individuals – Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain, officials said.
According to NESSDU, the two individuals allegedly made remarks that racially stereotyped people from the northeast, including derogatory comments linking them to massage centers and drugs.
The accused also threatened the students, claiming that they had political influence, the statement read.
Calling the incident "deeply concerning," the student body said that this was not the first time people from the northeast had faced racism and harassment. It demanded appropriate legal and disciplinary measures to ensure accountability and prevent recurrence.
NESSDU said it would pursue all lawful avenues if strict action is not taken.