New Delhi (Agency): The police in Manipur, India, have initiated an inquiry into a dreadful incident involving two women who were paraded naked and sexually assaulted in May. According to the authorities, they have established contact with the victims and have started recording their statements.
This incident, which took place amid ethnic clashes in the state on May 4, has prompted a detailed probe by a team of women officials from the Manipur Police. These officials have begun the process of gathering statements from the victims and their families.
The police are also identifying and recording the statements of eyewitnesses. High-ranking sources from the Indian Government in New Delhi have suggested that the sexual assault cases may soon be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further scrutiny.
Responding to the arrest of people shown in a video related to the case that went viral, Ginza Vualzong, a spokesperson for the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), criticized the late action, stating, “I would have appreciated it if the culprits were arrested before the video went viral.” He also highlighted the ongoing unrest and violence in the state, urging the central government to address these “larger issues.”
So far, seven individuals, including a minor, have been arrested in connection to the case.
The video that sparked this investigation emerged on June 19, nearly a month and a half after the reported incident. It depicted two tribal women being cruelly mistreated by a group of men in Kangpokpi district. This horrifying video elicited widespread condemnation, and a case was registered at the Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown individuals.
The incident attracted national attention, with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud, expressing deep distress. They labeled the incident as “shameful” and “unacceptable.”
Manipur has been in a state of violent ethnic clashes since May 3, between the majority Meiteis community in the Imphal valley and the Kukis who reside in the hills. Over 150 people have lost their lives in these clashes so far.
Manipur’s Chief Minister, N Biren Singh, vowed to take stern action against those responsible, including contemplating the possibility of capital punishment. “Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society,” he stated.
The Meiteis community makes up about 53% of Manipur’s population and mainly resides in the Imphal Valley. Tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute about 40% of the population and primarily live in the hill districts.