Video of sexual violence on women in Manipur emerges; police promise arrests soon

In Manipur, three women were stripped and paraded by a mob in May. Police have now registered a case of gang-rape and abduction and will soon make arrests.

Nearly two months after three women were stripped and paraded by a mob in violence-hit Manipur, police said they have registered a case of gang-rape and abduction, and would soon make arrests. It is among the first cases of sexual violence to be reported and which is being followed up with police action after the clashes in the State started on May 3.

A video clip of the incident surfaced on social media on Wednesday. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) said in a statement that the ordeal suffered by the women is amplified by the perpetrators’ decision to share the video on social media revealing the identity of the victims. 

The incident is alleged to have taken place on May 4 at Nongpok Sekmai in Thoubal district when the three women were trying to escape a violent mob that had attacked their village in Kangpokpi district. A police source said that on May 18, a zero First Information Report (FIR) was registered at Kangpokpi police station, which has now been transferred to Thoubal, the place of incident. A zero FIR is registered irrespective of the jurisdiction or area power of the police. One woman was raped and two others stripped and paraded, the FIR says.

The father and brother of one of the rape survivors were killed by the mob, according to a complaint filed by the village head. The complaint said the brother, aged 19, was killed while trying to protect his sister from the mob. Charges of murder have also been added.

A statement by the Manipur police said, “In regard to the viral videos of two women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on May 4, a case of abduction, gang-rape and murder etc. was registered 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.”

The State government imposed an indefinite curfew in the five valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching, and Thoubal districts on Wednesday after a protest march was planned by women’s group. 

Hoihnu Hauzel, a Manipuri journalist, said on Twitter, “The women were paraded naked, fondled and beaten in full public glare. A disturbing video taken by a perpetrator leaked and got viral today. This breaks all level of humanity.”