COVID-19 fall out NE girls subjected to racial slur in Bengaluru

BENGALURU, May 13
 It was a night of horror for six women from North East India who were residing at an apartment in Anepalya, Koramangala.
Their neighbour knocked on their door, forced himself into into the apartment and walked around accusing them of being being carriers of Covid-19. Not just that, he started videotaping the girls while hurling racial slurs at them and demanded they vacate the house the next day. All this happened at 12.20 am on Monday.
Helpless and traumatised, the girls called up the police. While the police Constable, who reached the spot in the night, is alleged to have taken the side of the neighbour, the girls did find backing from the landlord and community heads from the North East region. The commotion lasted for over an hour. The women, who are all in their mid and late 20s, had recently rented the small apartment on 7th Cross in Anepalya after the company- they were all working for-refused to pay their salaries ever since the lockdown came into force. Their neighbours suspected them to be ‘Chinese Nationals’ and thus carriers of coronavirus.
Accused John Kin, police said, was arrested soon after the girls lodged a complaint in the Ashok Nagar police station on Monday.
“We are interrogating the accused. A case under section 355 of IPC (Assault with intent to dishonour person) has been registered,” a senior police officer, investigating the case, said. The 40-year-old accused is a painter by profession.
The girls, who are still in shock after the incident, were not immeidately available for reactions. One of the victims, who posted their plight on Facebook at 6.30 am on the same day, received a lot of support while the post also drew sharp criticism against the way police handled the situation. The post has gone viral with over 4,500 shares.
Dr Rini Ralte for Northeast Solidarity, a Bengaluru-based NGO came to the support of the girls and helped them register a police complaint. She later told Bangalore Mirror that many people hailing from the North East region of India were battling the stigma of being carriers of coronavirus. She requested the help of the police to stop such incidents. Bangalore Mirror