Woman holding baby allegedly beaten in Dombivli for saying 'excuse me' in English instead of Marathi

Two women, one of them carrying a nine-month-old baby, were reportedly beaten up on Tuesday morning in Dombivli, Maharashtra, simply for saying “excuse me” instead of speaking in Marathi.

The women, who live in the same housing society, were on a two-wheeler and entering the building premises when the incident took place. As per the complaint, the woman driving the scooter politely said “excuse me” to a young man who was blocking the entrance. However, he allegedly got offended and insisted that she speak in Marathi.

The man, who also lives in the building, then allegedly twisted the arm of the woman sitting behind on the scooter. Soon after, his family members, including four or five women and two young men, joined in and allegedly started beating the two women. Eyewitnesses said the group did not care that one of the women was holding a baby.


The woman who filed the complaint said “excuse me” is a common expression of courtesy, and the reaction from the accused was completely unnecessary.

As per a PTI report, senior Inspector Sanjay Pawar from Vishnu Nagar police station confirmed that a probe has begun. However, no official FIR has been registered yet. The police are also checking if the incident might have been linked to an earlier dispute between the families.

The incident has come at a time when language issues are in the spotlight in Maharashtra. Recently, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, started a campaign demanding that staff in banks across the state must speak to customers in Marathi.

In response, the United Forum of Bank Unions wrote to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging that individuals claiming to be MNS members have been entering bank branches and threatening staff.

Inputs from PTI