New Delhi:
Two Manipuri women were allegedly assaulted by a group of men who are also reported to have hurled racist abuses at them in south Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur area. One person has been arrested.
The January 25 incident came to light even as the national capital witnessed protests over the death of Nido Taniam, a 20-year-old student from Arunachal Pradesh, who was allegedly assaulted by shopkeepers on January 29.
The women have also accused the police of reluctance in registering the First Information Report or FIR. The first arrest in the case, of a 32-year-old man from Kotla Mubarakpur area today, comes seven days after the incident.
According to police, the women were beaten up by a group of men, believed to be in their late 20s. In the complaint, one of the women has alleged that that one of their assaulters tied the leash of his dog to her boots. As she tried to get rid of the dog, she said, she panicked and happened to kick the animal. Seeing this, the men allegedly started beating her up. When her friend tried to intervene, she too was allegedly thrashed by the men who also made racists comments against them, the police have said.
"I was trying to go home, he (the dog owner) tried to drag me and slapped me hard," one of the victims said.
"They harassed her and after that they slapped her. They also ransacked a shop. There were five victims," her cousin added.
The victims alleged that none of the locals came to help them and when they reached the police station to lodge an FIR, the cops were initially reluctant to register a case.
The case was registered the next day after leaders from some north-east outfits intervened. The police said that they have recorded the victims' statement and are investigating the case.