Assam woman alleges racial abuse, assault by neighbours in Jaipur

A woman from Assam living in Jaipur has alleged that she was racially abused, sexually harassed, assaulted and threatened by a couple living in her apartment building, and the Assam Association Jaipur has demanded strict action against those responsible.

The incident allegedly took place on Saturday, October 31, at a residential complex in the Adinath Nagar area of Sirsi in Jaipur, Rajasthan, The News Mill and Northeast Live reported on Monday, November 2. An FIR has been registered at Bindayaka police station, according to the association.

What the association says happened

According to a statement from the Assam Association Jaipur, the woman went up to the building's terrace to dry clothes when a male resident made sexually offensive remarks and behaved obscenely towards her. When she objected, the argument escalated.

The association alleged that the man and his wife then abused her with derogatory remarks aimed at her Northeastern identity, including a degrading comment about women from Northeast India. It said the man's wife assaulted her inside the building's lift and tried to choke her, and that the man threatened to parade her naked and to throw her and her three-year-old son off the terrace.

The child was present throughout, the association said, and the family has been left deeply traumatised. The woman has lived in the complex with her husband and son for about eight months.

CCTV footage

The News Mill said CCTV footage it viewed appears to show a woman dragging the complainant by her hair and assaulting her inside a lift while a young child is with her. The association identified the woman in the footage as one of the two accused.

The accused have not publicly responded to the allegations, and Jaipur police have not yet shared details of the investigation or any arrests. NEInsider is not naming the complainant because the complaint includes allegations of sexual harassment.

Demand for action

The association urged Rajasthan Police to examine the CCTV footage, ensure the safety of the woman and her family and take legal action against those found responsible. "Silence and inaction are not acceptable," it said, calling for a prompt and impartial investigation and expressing solidarity with the family.

A recurring concern

The case comes soon after reports that three workers from Assam were allegedly assaulted at a food stall in Bengaluru's Electronics City in a dispute over "spicy" noodles. People from the Northeast living in other Indian cities have long reported racial slurs and stereotyping, and women in particular have described sexualised comments about their identity.

Racial abuse and sexual harassment are criminal offences under Indian law. Women facing harassment can call the national women's helpline 181 or the emergency number 112.

NEInsider will update this story when police share details of the case.