Manipuri woman, Assam transgender friend assaulted near Saket Court, New Delhi

A young woman from Manipur and her transgender friend from Assam were allegedly assaulted by a group of youths near a park close to the Saket District Court Complex in South Delhi on Sunday evening, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of people from the Northeast living in the national capital.
According to preliminary reports, the victims were taking a walk in a park in the Malviya Nagar area when a group of youths allegedly began passing racially derogatory remarks at them. When the Manipuri woman objected to the comments, the situation reportedly escalated into a confrontation. The victims alleged that the group then physically assaulted them, punching them and striking them with belts while hurling abusive slurs.
The woman sustained minor injuries in the incident and was taken to Safdarjung Hospital for medical examination and treatment. Police said a team reached the spot soon after receiving information and contacted the victims.
The Delhi Police confirmed that a criminal case has been registered under appropriate sections of law. One juvenile allegedly involved in the assault has been apprehended, while raids are underway to identify and arrest the remaining accused.
“Police teams are in constant touch with the victims and are providing all necessary assistance. Multiple teams have been deployed to trace the accused at the earliest,” police said in an official statement, adding that strict legal action would be taken against those involved.
Sources indicated that the victims had also experienced verbal harassment in the area on previous occasions, raising concerns about repeated incidents targeting people from the Northeast.
The incident drew strong condemnation from Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, who expressed anger over what he described as repeated attacks on people from the region in mainland India. In a post on social media addressed to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Sangma said the assault was “sickening” and urged authorities to take stringent action against those responsible.
The episode adds to a series of recent cases involving allegations of racial discrimination against people from the Northeast in the national capital. In February, police arrested a couple following an FIR filed by three women from Arunachal Pradesh alleging racial abuse and intimidation in South Delhi.
Authorities said investigations into the Saket assault case are ongoing and further arrests are expected.