THREE Northeast students from Delhi University were allegedly attacked by locals in North Delhi on Saturday (17 Aug 2013) night. One of the victims, Lam, sustained head injuries after being struck with cricket bats by unidentified individuals. No arrests have been made so far.
The incident occurred around 7:30 PM when a group of about ten men, armed with iron rods, cricket bats, and baseball bats, forcibly entered the rented room of Gigin. At the time, Gigin and his friend Len were watching a movie on his laptop. The attackers began beating them inside the room, smashing and hitting them with their weapons.
Recounting the ordeal to our correspondent, Gigin said, “Our caretaker entered my room on August 14 without my permission, and we had an argument, though there was no fight. On Saturday evening, he came back, glanced through my room, and left without saying anything. Minutes later, he returned with about ten men armed with iron rods, cricket bats, and other blunt objects. They stormed into my room and started attacking us. They even pulled out my gas cylinder and used it to hit me. They locked the door from the inside while continuing to beat us. We had no choice but to defend ourselves and escape. When we managed to run outside, they chased us down the street. Meanwhile, the caretaker went to the police and falsely claimed that we had attacked him. The others continued beating us near the main road in Patel Chest.”
Lam, a research scholar pursuing a PhD in Anthropology at Delhi University and a former president of the Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Delhi, was taken to Hindu Rao Hospital for medical treatment. Fortunately, the other two victims were not severely injured. Both are undergraduate students at Delhi University.
Lam also shared his account of the incident, saying, “I was inside my room writing my thesis when I heard a commotion outside. I saw a group of people, some Northeast students, and some locals, engaged in an argument. When I tried to intervene and make peace, the locals suddenly attacked me with baseball bats and iron rods. They targeted me because I am from the Northeast. I was socially profiled.”
Upon learning of the incident, KSO leaders and our correspondent visited the victims at the hospital and later at the police station. However, they were unable to meet the Station House Officer (SHO), who was reportedly unavailable. A case was registered at Maurice Nagar Police Station under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (1860) the same night.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the police response, KSO Delhi President Mr. Thangminlen Kipgen said, “Why didn’t the police allow us to lodge an FIR in Gigin’s name, even though he was attacked inside his own room? This shows the bias of Delhi Police toward Northeast people. They made Gigin a witness in the case and only recorded Lam’s statement verbally, without writing it down. We are not satisfied with how the police handled the situation, especially as we were made to wait all night to receive a copy of the FIR.”
The house caretaker has since shifted the blame onto Gigin, further complicating the situation. The victims and their supporters are now seeking justice and fair treatment in the wake of the incident.
Special Correspondent
The MIZORAM POST | MANIPUR CHRONICLE | ZOGAM TODAY
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