Boy Beaten On Local Train For Marathi Language Dies By Suicide
A student from Thane died by suicide after being assaulted on a local train over a Hindi–Marathi language dispute.
A tragic incident has shaken Maharashtra’s Thane district after a college student died by suicide following an assault linked to a language disagreement. The student, Arnav Khaire, was a resident of Kalyan East in Thane and studied at Kelkar College, Mulund. Like every day, Arnav boarded a local train on 18th November to travel to college.
Due to the heavy rush, he accidentally bumped into a passenger and politely said in Hindi, “Bhai, thoda aage ho jao, dhakka lag raha hai.” This normal request unexpectedly angered a group of four to five commuters. They allegedly hit him below the ear and questioned him aggressively, asking, “Tula Marathi bolayla yet nahi ka? Marathi bolayla laj vatte ka?” Arnav repeatedly told them he was Marathi, but the group continued to threaten and insult him.
Shaken and scared, he did not get off at Mulund and instead got down at Thane station. He returned home on the next train, traumatised by the incident. Later that afternoon, he narrated everything to his father, who tried to calm him down. However, Arnav continued to feel mentally stressed and defeated.
When his father returned home at 7 pm, the door was locked from inside. With the help of neighbours, it was forced open, and Arnav was found hanging. He was rushed to Rukminibai Hospital in Kalyan, where he was declared dead at 9:05 pm.
His father has filed a police complaint and demanded justice. The police have begun investigating and are searching for the accused.
