In a tragic incident highlighting rising linguistic tensions in Maharashtra, a 19-year-old college freshman took his own life on Tuesday following a violent altercation on a local train, where he was assaulted for conversing in Hindi rather than Marathi.
Arnav Khaire, enrolled in the first year of a BSc program at Kelkar College in Mulund, was commuting from his home in Kalyan, a suburb east of Mumbai. With his first-class season pass lapsed, he opted for a second-class compartment on the crowded Ambernath-Kalyan local train. What began as a routine journey turned harrowing when, amid the morning rush at Kalyan station, Arnav inadvertently bumped into another passenger and politely asked in Hindi for a bit more space.
This seemingly innocuous exchange ignited fury among a group of nearby men, who reportedly confronted him over his choice of language. According to details shared by Arnav’s father, Jitendra Khaire, in a formal complaint lodged with the Kolsewadi police station, the assailants demanded to know why he wasn’t using Marathi and accused him of disowning his native tongue. “I told them I am Marathi, but they still argued and beat me,” Arnav recounted to his father during a distressed phone call from the train.
The attack escalated quickly: the men ripped off his face mask, leaving him shaken and fearful. He disembarked at Thane station, switched to another local train, and pressed on to Mulund to attend his classes, including a practical exam. Throughout the day, Arnav appeared visibly rattled, his composure frayed by the ordeal.
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By afternoon, he phoned his father again, his voice heavy with unease: “Papa, I’m not feeling well.” Once back in Kalyan that evening, Arnav elaborated on the full extent of the harassment and physical blows he had endured. Jitendra promised swift action, vowing to report the matter to authorities. Yet, upon arriving home shortly after, Jitendra found the door bolted from within. Enlisting neighbors’ aid, he broke it open to a devastating scene: Arnav had ended his life. Paramedics rushed him to Rukminibai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 9:05 p.m.
Devastated, Jitendra attributes his son’s desperate act to the profound trauma inflicted by the assault. “The fear and mental stress caused by this incident pushed him towards suicide. I want a full investigation and justice for my son,” he told.
Authorities are treating the case with urgency. Assistant Commissioner of Police Kalyanji Ghete announced that a dedicated team has been assembled to probe the circumstances, including identifying and apprehending the perpetrators. As the investigation unfolds, the episode serves as a stark reminder of the perils of language-based vigilantism in India’s diverse urban corridors.