HYDERABAD: In a shocking incident, two students from Manipur were stopped from entering the outlet of a popular supermarket chain in Vanasthalipuram here on Wednesday. The incident came to light late in the night when one of their friend’s tweeted the video and called out the discrimination meted out to people from North East in view of Coronavirus outbreak. In the viral video, the security guards of the market can be seen preventing the students from entering, saying that “foreigners” are not allowed. The video also shows the students trying to reason with the guards by showing their Aadhaar cards.
“It was amusing and confusing at first because I regularly visit the supermarket and they suddenly called me a foreigner and did not allow me to come,” said Angam Weapon, one of the two students. After showing their Aadhaar cards, they were asked to wait and talk to the manager, who failed to turn up and the students had to return empty-handed. “I have been living in Hyderabad for the past five years and this is the first time I was made to feel like an outsider. It is shocking to know that they think we are not Indians,” lamented Angam.
The police have now filed an FIR under section 153, 188, 341 IPC against the store manager and two guards of Star Market at Vansthalipuram police station. Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju reacted to the incident and sought information about the same from the students on Twitter. Meanwhile, MAUD Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar also tweeted, saying, “It’s unfortunate & our apologies! Collector RR dist has informed that FIR is registered against the manager of this outlet & that the Accused are in custody.”