Dombivli women assaulted for saying ‘Excuse me’, Marathi vs Non-Marathi tensions flare again

Two women in Dombivli, a city near Mumbai, were brutally assaulted after one of them said "excuse me" in English, allegedly offending a man who insisted she should have spoken in Marathi. The incident has sparked widespread outrage online, as a video of the attack went viral, exposing growing linguistic tensions in Maharashtra.

The victims, Poonam Gupta and Geeta Chauhan, were on a two-wheeler and attempting to enter their residential society when they encountered a man blocking the entrance. Geeta, who was driving, politely asked him to move by saying "excuse me." The man reportedly became aggressive, demanding she speak Marathi instead.

What followed was a violent confrontation. According to Poonam, the man twisted Geeta’s arm, and within moments, several members of his family joined in, attacking both women. Shockingly, Poonam was carrying her 9-month-old baby during the assault, but the attackers continued their violence without any regard for the child’s safety.

Things escalated further when Poonam’s husband, Ankit Chauhan, arrived with a friend to intervene. Ankit was struck on the head with a metal rod, leaving him injured. The brutality of the incident, coupled with the language-based provocation, has deeply unsettled many residents and viewers on social media.

Police in Vishnunagar have launched an investigation into the matter. Senior Inspector Sanjay Pawar confirmed that preliminary inquiries are ongoing, although no official FIR has been registered yet. Authorities are also looking into whether there were any past disputes between the parties involved.

This incident comes at a time when the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, has been aggressively pushing for the Marathi language in public spaces. MNS activists recently targeted bank branches, demanding customer service in Marathi, leading to cases of harassment and intimidation. Though Thackeray later paused the campaign claiming enough awareness was created, tensions on the ground appear to be simmering — and now, spilling into violence.