Dimapur, February 27 (MExN): Ten North East students from Manipur were attacked in Delhi on February 24, which left two persons seriously injured, and one admitted to the ICU. Spokesperson for the Northeast Helpline, M. Madhu Chandra while speaking to The Morung Express informed that the Delhi Police has not yet registered an FIR and that no action has been taken to apprehend the culprits. He alleged that “racial attacks” on North East people continue in the national capital.
A press note by the Northeast Helpline stated that according to sources, ten North East boys from Manipur were attacked by a group of “unknown people on February 24 in the Delhi University campus.” It said that a group “numbering 8 to 9 people” attacked the students while they were returning after dropping one off their friends in the DU hostel. It added that when the students “raised their voice and tried to defend themselves”, the culprits fled from the spot.
Chandra informed that the students received first aid at the DU clinic, and were then referred to the Hindu Rao Hospital, “where the admission was denied.” Talking to The Morung Express, Chandra noted that “it is not new for victims of attacks on North East people to be denied admission in certain hospitals.” They were then taken to St. Parmanant Hospital. He added that the police took statements from the victims after they were informed by doctors on duty at St Parmanant. It is reported that a medical legal case has been registered at the hospital. Chandra stated that the NE Helpline had contacted the Maurice Nagar Police Station and have come to know that no FIR has been registered till the morning of February 27.
Chandra informed that the police have identified one of the culprits through the CCTV footage taken at the site of the incident; however no action has been taken. He added that the delay in registering the FIR and the inaction of the Delhi police was a “matter of concern for North East communities living in Delhi and NCR.”
The NE Helpline has appealed for the Delhi police to register a case against the attackers as per the instructions given by Union Home Ministry in 2012 to book racial attackers under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocity Act. It further appealed to the Delhi Government to compensate the victims.
