Manipur: Sickening video of barbaric mob parading 2 women naked & molesting them surfaces

A heinous & barbaric video, purportedly recorded on May 4, has surfaced on Wednesday July 19 showing two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob of armed men. The women are completely helpless, being beaten and molested by the men as they're pulled onto a desolate stretch. 

The Manipur Police on Wednesday issued a statement on the bloodcurdling act, saying that a case of abduction, gangrape and murder has been registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown armed miscreants. As per inputs, the FIR was filed on May 18. In the police's statement issued on July 19 after the video surfaced online, they said an all-out effort is on to arrest the culprits at the earliest.

Taking a strong stand on the horrific assault and video, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani termed the incident as “downright inhuman”. She also spoke to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and asked him to ensure justice.

'Demand that Centre, state, NCW & NCST bring culprits before the law'

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) has planned a march on Thursday to highlight their plight. According to a spokesperson of ITLF, the despicable scene, which happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, shows men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors.

"The horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators' decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media."

While condemning the sickening and inhuman act, the ITLF spokesperson in a statement demanded that the central and state governments, National Commission for Women and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes take cognisance of the offence and bring the culprits before the law.

The Kuki-Zo tribals are planning to raise this issue as well during a proposed protest march in Churchandpur on Thursday. The full text of the police's statement on the incident (mentioned as point number 2 in a set of 6) reads as follows:

"As regard to the viral videos of 02 (two) women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on 4th May, 2023, a case of abduction, gangrape and murder etc 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 has been witnessing clashes since May 3 between Meiteis, concentrated in Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills. Over 160 people have been killed in the violence so far.

(With PTI inputs)