NEW DELHI — What began as a mundane dispute over apartment repairs escalated into a viral case of racial harassment on February 20, 2026. Three women residing in a fourth-floor flat in Malviya Nagar were reportedly humiliated by their neighbors, identified as Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain, following a disagreement over dust and debris from electrical work.
The Confrontation: Racial Slurs and Sexist Accusations
A video of the altercation, which has since gone viral on social media platforms like X, captures the accused couple hurling derogatory remarks at the women.
- Racial Profiling: The accused woman, Ruby Jain, was purportedly heard calling the women “momo” and using the phrase “gutter-chaap” to describe people from the Northeast.
- Character Assassination: The women were accused of running a “massage parlor” and were labeled “dhandhewali” (sex workers) who work for as little as ₹500.
- Intimidation: In the footage, Jain is heard boasting about her husband’s social standing, claiming he is the son of a customs officer and a politician. “Tu kya? Aukaat hai teri aane ki vaha pe? (What are you? Do you even have the status to be there?)” she allegedly asked.
Legal Action: Non-Bailable Charges Filed
The Delhi Police have registered an FIR at the Malviya Nagar police station. The charges fall under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are serious in nature:
- Section 196: Promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, etc. (Non-bailable and cognizable).
- Section 79: Insulting the modesty of a woman.
- Section 351(2): Criminal intimidation.
While no arrests have been made yet, a senior officer confirmed that while no physical injuries occurred, the mental harassment and humiliation were evident.
Statistics: A Systemic Issue in the Capital
The incident is not an isolated one. Data regarding the Northeast community in Delhi paints a grim picture:
- Prevalence of Discrimination: According to a 2014 study by the Bezbaruah Committee, approximately 86% of people from the Northeast living in Delhi have faced some form of racial discrimination.
- Police Records: Between 2020 and 2025, the Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC) reported a 25% increase in calls to the 1093 Northeast helpline regarding racial slurs and housing-related harassment in areas like Munirka, Malviya Nagar, and Safdarjung.
- Economic Vulnerability: A report by the Northeast Support Centre & Helpline indicates that women from the region are disproportionately targeted with sexist slurs, with nearly 60% of reported verbal abuse cases involving sexualized tropes or accusations of working in “massage parlors.”
Advocate Response: “Treat Us as Indians”
Advocate Reena Rai, representing the victims, stated that the incident reflects a deep-seated prejudice. “We are as much Indian as anyone else. Why are we treated like outsiders just because we are from the Northeast?” she asked.
The counsel for the accused couple, however, claimed the incident was “exaggerated” on social media. They argued that Harsh Singh called the PCR first and that the remarks were made in the “heat of the moment” during dinner.