New Delhi: A 37-year-old lawyer from Manipur was allegedly attacked and racially abused by a group of teenage boys during an evening walk in a park near Malviya Nagar in New Delhi, highlighting concerns about discrimination faced by people from India’s Northeast.
The incident came to light on Sunday when the woman, her face partially covered with a pink dupatta, stood outside the Malviya Nagar Police Station. Fresh stitches behind her ears showed the injuries she sustained in the attack. According to her account, she had been walking in a nearby park with her friend, a transwoman, when a group of teenagers allegedly hurled racial slurs and assaulted her with a knife.
Her friend, 50-year-old Sangeeta Keisam, expressed fear and frustration over the incident, saying the attack has left them feeling unsafe. “We are Indians too, so why are we being discriminated against?” she said, adding that many people from the Northeast now feel anxious about their safety in the national capital.
The incident has sparked renewed discussion about racism and discrimination faced by migrants from India’s northeastern states in Delhi. Many Northeastern residents, including students and professionals, say that prejudice often begins with comments about their appearance, food habits, or culture before escalating into more serious hostility.
The attack also comes amid other recent controversies in the same locality. Just weeks earlier, three women from Arunachal Pradesh accused a neighbour in the Malviya Nagar area of verbally abusing them with racial slurs. A video of that confrontation circulated widely on social media, drawing public attention to the issue.
Police said they are looking into the latest incident and have begun investigating the allegations. The case has once again raised concerns about the safety and dignity of people from the Northeast living in Delhi, with many urging stronger action against racial discrimination and hate crimes.