Maharashtra Shocked: Marathi Student Beaten in Local Train for Speaking Hindi, Dies in Trauma

A shocking incident in Mumbai’s local train has taken the life of a 19-year-old Marathi student. Arnav Khaire, a resident of Kalyan’s Tisgaon Naka, was on his way to his college in Mulund, just like every day. In the crowded train, when a passenger pushed him, Arnav politely said in Hindi, “Please stand properly.” This small sentence triggered a group of passengers who turned the situation into a language fight. They shouted at him saying, “Tula Marathi yet nahi ka?” (Don’t you know Marathi?). Within moments, a heated argument turned into a violent attack. Four to five passengers started beating Arnav brutally. The sudden assault left him deeply shaken and scared.

After the assault, he wandered in shock all day- and ended his life at home

After being beaten, Arnav got off at Thane station instead of going ahead to Mulund. Still trembling with fear, he took another train and somehow reached his college. He was in shock the entire time, crying over the phone while narrating the incident to his father. His father consoled him and assured him that they would go with the police the next morning and file a complaint. But Arnav’s fear, humiliation and trauma kept growing inside him. When he returned home in the evening, he quietly went to his room. The family hoped he would calm down, but minutes later, Arnav took the extreme step and ended his life by hanging.

Father’s allegation: “My child was threatened and bullied over language”

Arnav’s father, Jitendra Khaire, says that the attackers were speaking Marathi, but their identity is still unknown. Arnav had told his father that the group was large in number and kept threatening him. The family now demands strict action against the attackers so this never happens to any other student in future. “They asked him why he wasn’t speaking Marathi. They insulted him, hit him, humiliated him. This environment broke my son from inside,” the father said in tears. The family believes the public humiliation and threats inside the train pushed Arnav into severe mental stress, leading to his tragic death.

Language politics claims another innocent life- Police investigation underway

After the incident, the Kolshewadi Police registered an ADR and started the investigation. Kalyan ACP Kalyanji Gheete said that initial findings point toward “suicide due to mental stress,” but every angle is being checked. Police are examining CCTV footage, phone records, and statements of possible witnesses. Meanwhile, the incident has sparked a major political debate. Many are questioning whether intense language politics and ongoing public statements are creating fear and division in young minds. The most shocking part remains that this time, the victim of violence for “not speaking Marathi” was himself a Marathi boy.