Couple held for racial abuse of northeast women; charges under SC/ST Act slapped

FIve years after leash women from the ne, including a new delhi University (DU) educatee, alleged that a couple in Malviya Nagar threatened and hurled racial abuses at them during a dispute over dust from electrical work at their rented accommodation, police on Wednesday said they arrested the accused, Ruby Jain, 35, and her husband, Harsh Singh. Police said they have added charges under of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act or the SC/ST Act based on the material available on record.“We have invoked the SC/ST Act’s provisions in the case, and as mandated by law, the investigation is now being conducted by an assistant commissioner of police -rank officer,” said deputy police commissioner (South) Ankit Chauhan.Politicians, including Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and Union minister for development of the northeastern region, Jyotiraditya M Scindia, condemned the incident.“Deeply disturbed by the racial harassment faced by three young women from Arunachal Pradesh in Malviya Nagar, South Delhi. A minor residential issue escalating into abuse and intimidation rooted in prejudice is profoundly shameful. Spoke with Hon’ble CM of Arunachal Pradesh,@PemaKhanduBJP ji, and took up the matter with the Commissioner of Delhi Police. Have sought immediate and stringent action. An FIR has been registered and I am assured the accused will be apprehended swiftly. Any injustice against our brothers and sisters from the Northeast will not be tolerated. Their safety and dignity are paramount to us. @gupta_rekha @CPDelhi,” Scindia posted on X.Khandu condemned the incident and said such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and has no place in society. “Immediately after learning about the matter yesterday, I spoke with the Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police, and sought swift and strict action. The CP is personally in touch with me. The accused are currently absconding, and I have been assured that they will be apprehended at the earliest and dealt with as per law. We stand firmly with our three sisters, and their safety, dignity, and justice remain our highest priority. @DelhiPolice,” he posted on X.Police said the incident took place around 3.30pm on Friday last, when the three women, aged between 19 and 23, were getting electrical installation work done inside their rented premises. During the process, some dust allegedly fell into the flat below, where the couple resides, police said.In their police complaint, the women alleged that the couple used derogatory language targeting their ethnicity, insulted their modesty, and issued threats. They said the altercation left them mentally harassed and humiliated, though no physical injuries were reported.The women told police about verbal abuse and racial slurs directed at them for being from the northeast. Two of them are from Arunachal Pradesh, and the third is from Manipur.A video of the incident surfaced on social media in which Jain is purportedly heard making derogatory and racially motivated comments. Jain is heard saying that her husband is the son of a customs officer and that the women should not mess with them.Chauhan on Sunday said that a case was registered on Sunday under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections 79, 351(2), 3(5), and 196 related to outraging modesty of women through words or gestures, criminal intimidation, promoting enmity, and common intention.Police said Jain is a homemaker and her husband works as a freelancer with public relations agencies.