On July 19 horrifying visuals of two women being stripped naked and paraded naked surfaced from Manipur. As per reports, the incident is from May 4, a day after the violence in the North Eastern state started.
The visuals show two women being paraded naked while a group of men around them heckled them on, and then being dragged into a paddy field. It has been reported that the two victims were then gang-raped.
The indigenous tribal leader’s forum has condemned the incident and has stated that the victims were from the Kuki community while the assailants were from the Meitei community.
Incident from May 4, complaint filed on June 21
As per reports, a complaint regarding the incident was filed at the Saikul Police Station by one Thangboi Vaiphei, the chief of B. Phainom village, on June 21, more than a month after the incident. The complaint mentions that the mob also gang-raped a third woman. A case has been registered under Section 153A/398/427/436/448/302/354/364/326/376/34 of Indian Penal Code and 25(1C) of Arms Act regarding the incident.
‘Large mob of hundreds of armed men, mostly Meitei groups, entered village’, says complaint
As per the village chief’s complaint, a large group of men, mostly from the Meitei community, carrying ‘sophisticated weapons’ had attacked the B Phainom village on May 4. They had looted the village homes and snatched all valuables and gadgets from the villagers. The mob had burned down the houses in the village and had carried out rampant vandalization. 5 villagers, fearing the loss of life, had reportedly fled into the forest. They were later rescued by the Nonpok Sekmai police team and were being taken to the police station when a mob attacked again and snatched those individuals away from the police.
A person was killed on the spot while three women were forced to strip naked by the mob. They were gang raped in broad daylight by some men in the mob, the complaint states, adding that the murdered person was the brother of one of the women who had tried to save his sister. The other male in the victim family, a 56-year-old man was murdered by the mob too.
The women later managed to escape from the spot, with the help of some locals.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum, condemning the incident, has also added that the video was shared by the perpetrators, to expose the identities of the women victims and further prolong their humiliation after the heinous crime.
After the video went viral and caused widespread shock and outrage across the country, the Manipur police issued a statement saying that an all-out effort to nab the culprits has been initiated.
was registered at Nongpok Sekmai PS (Thoubal District) against unknown armed miscreants and the investigation has been started. The State Police is making all-out effort to arrest the culprits at the earliest.
— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) July 19, 2023
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Current situation is peaceful but tensed, curfew relaxed in 5 districts, says Manipur Police
Issuing a statement regarding the viral video and the ongoing violence in Manipur, the Manipur Police has released an update on the current situation in Manipur.
The state police stated on 19th July that for the last 24 hours, the state has been peaceful, though tense with sporadic incidents of arson and gathering of crowds. Regarding the viral video, the police acknowledged the FIR being registered, but clarified that it is under investigation and no culprits have been nabbed so far. They added that massive search operations are being conducted to seize illegal arms and that the curfew relaxation has been curtailed in 5 valley districts and Churachandpur.
A total of 126 checkpoints have been installed in different districts and 452 persons have been arrested so far for violence. They made an appeal to the general public to help the police and provided the toll-free number 9233522822 to provide any information, seek help or report or deposit illegal arms, ammunition, and explosives.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has responded to the viral video, calling the incident inhuman.
The horrific video of sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM @NBirenSingh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway & assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) July 19, 2023
The incident was reported in some media portals earlier but did not generate much attention till a video was released
It is notable here that a YouTube video describing the incident, and containing the victim’s response has been there since May. The video can be watched here.
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A report in Mid Day dated 26 June, days after the FIR was filed, also mentions the incident from the B. Phainom village. A report in News Click from June 1 also mentioned a woman from the victim family narrating the incident. However, the incident gathered national attention only on July 19, after the video of the brutalities on the women went viral.
As per the latest reports, the government has issued an order to Twitter and other social media platforms, instructing them not to share the viral video of the two Manipuri women being paraded nude. Social media platforms have been to adhere to Indian laws as the matter is currently under investigation. Under Indian law, publicizing the identity of the victims of sexual crimes is a punishable offense.
A detailed report of the Manipur violence, the conflict between the Kuki and Meitei communities can be read here.
First arrest made, tweets CM
My hearts go out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking a Suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur Police swung to action…
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) July 20, 2023
In the latest development, Manipur CM N Biren Singh has tweeted about the incident and has informed that the first arrest in the case has been made on the morning of 20th July. It is notable here that the first arrest has been made only after the video of the incident went viral on July 19th. The complaint regarding the incident was filed on 21 June.
“My hearts go out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking a Suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur Police swung to action and made the first arrest this morning. A thorough investigation is currently underway and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment. Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society”, the CM has tweeted.
