Mumbai, November 21: The ongoing language row in Maharashtra took a tragic turn as a 19-year-old BSc first-year student from Kalyan died by suicide after allegedly being assaulted on a local train for speaking in Hindi. Hours before the incident, the student, Arnav Khaire, had called his father, sounding distressed and said, “Papa, I am not feeling well…”. The call came shortly after he was harassed by fellow commuters during his journey to college. His father later found him dead at home, prompting a police investigation into the alleged assault and its consequences.

According to a Times of India report, Arnav’s father, Jitendra Khaire, alleged that the assault took place after his son accidentally brushed against a commuter and requested him to move slightly ahead in Hindi. The men reportedly confronted him for not speaking Marathi and continued to argue even after Arnav clarified that he was a Marathi speaker. The group allegedly assaulted him, tore his mask, and left him terrified inside the crowded compartment. Shaken by the ordeal, Arnav got off at Thane station and took another train to Mulund. Maharashtra Language Row: MNS Workers Assault Hawker for Insulting Marathi in Thane’s Badlapur, Video Surfaces.

The report added that despite attending a practical exam, Arnav remained deeply disturbed by the incident and later called his father to describe the assault in detail. His father sensed fear in his voice and assured him that he would file a police complaint. However, when he returned home that evening, he found the door locked from the inside and had to break it open with the neighbours’ help. Arnav was discovered hanging with a blanket around his neck and was declared dead at Rukminibai Hospital around 9:05 PM. ‘Marathi Bol’: Language Row in Mumbai Local Train, Video Shows Heated Argument Between 2 Women.

Police officials stated that a case of accidental death has been registered, while investigations continue into the circumstances that reportedly pushed the teenager to take his life. A probe team has been formed under the Kalyan Division to identify those involved in the alleged assault. The incident comes amid rising tensions over the Marathi-Hindi language debate in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, where recent confrontations have sparked political reactions and public concern.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 21, 2025 12:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).