'Happened in heat of moment': After slurs against tenants, man booked in Delhi racial abuse incident says 'we're ashamed'

'Happened in heat of moment': After slurs against tenants, man booked in Delhi racial abuse incident says 'we're ashamed'

• Man accused of racial abuse in Delhi issues public apology
• Incident involved dispute over debris, escalated to racial slurs
• Police have registered an FIR, investigation is ongoing

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A man accused of racially abusing three women from Arunachal Pradesh in south Delhi has issued a public apology, saying the confrontation spiralled unexpectedly and was never meant to target the northeastern community.

Harsh Singh, who has been booked by Delhi Police along with his wife Ruby Jain, said his family was cooperating with investigators and expressed confidence in the legal process.

“We are definitely ashamed. I am not such a person, but it was in the heat of the moment. We did not intend to do so," Singh said in a video statement, adding that he would accept whatever punishment the law decides after an impartial probe.

The case stems from an incident reported in Malviya Nagar on February 20 at about 3.30 pm. According to police, the three women had hired an electrician to install an air conditioner in their fourth-floor rented apartment. During the drilling work, dust and debris allegedly fell into the flat below, leading to objections from Singh and Jain.

What began as a dispute over the falling debris soon turned into a heated argument. The women alleged that the couple used racial slurs and made insulting remarks directed at them and the broader northeastern community.

A video of the altercation, which has circulated widely on social media, appears to capture some of the exchanges. In the footage, the accused are allegedly heard using terms such as “momo" and making claims that the women worked in massage parlours. A police officer can also be seen in the video attempting to defuse the situation as tempers flared.

The complainants said they were called “gutter-chaap," told to “go and sell momos," and subjected to other demeaning comments. They further alleged that in parts of the video, the accused woman made additional offensive remarks and projected social and economic superiority, while they demanded accountability.

Police confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Harsh Singh and Ruby Jain and that the matter remains under investigation.

In his statement, Singh also urged restraint against what he described as “media trials" and claimed that his family members were facing online harassment. He added that he had personally apologised to people from the Northeast.

The women, however, have sought a formal apology, maintaining that the remarks amounted not only to a personal affront but also to an attack on the dignity of the northeastern community.