After a Manipur Violence video of two women being forced to walk naked by a mob in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur surfaced on social media, it drew anger and spurred the nation’s leader Narendra Modi to speak out about the area’s protracted sectarian war.
Manipur Past Incidents Details –
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) claims that the viral video shows a May 4 encounter, but police didn’t make any arrests until this week after the video went online.
The incident was termed as “a case of abduction, gang rape, and murder” on Twitter by the Manipur Police on Wednesday.
Four people have been arrested, according to officials, and police raids are still proceeding. More than 30 males are being questioned by authorities in connection with the alleged sexual assault, according to Reuters.
In the video, two terrified ladies are made to go through a group of dressed males while naked. In the midst of a male mob, many of whom are wielding long canes or clubs as weapons, the victims appear to be the targets of groping and sexual assault.
The horrifying video surfaced in the midst of ongoing ethnic conflict in the northeastern Indian state.
Know what PM Modi Said on Manipur Violence –
On Thursday, Modi spoke out for the first time about the circumstances in the state, saying: “My heart is filled with anguish and indignation. The Manipur tragedy is disgraceful for any civil society.
The incident involving the daughters of Manipur, Modi stated, “can never be forgiven. The law will take its course with all its might.”
After opposition MPs made a commotion over the unwillingness to examine the Manipur issue, the Upper House of Parliament was adjourned minutes after sitting again.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the ITLF stated: “A video that went viral today depicts a sizable Meitei mob escorting two Kuki-Zo tribal women toward a rice field to be gang-raped.
The statement continued by stating the “despicable incident” occurred in the Kangpokpi district’s B. Phainom hamlet and “shows the men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors.”
Manipur has been battling violence in recent months. On May 3, clashes broke out in the state capital of Imphal as tens of thousands of students, largely from the Kuki tribe, participated in a demonstration against the dominant Meitei ethnic population, which has requested special tribal status. The Meitei would have more prospects for government employment and would be able to purchase land thanks to their tribal designation, among other things.
Since then, tens of thousands more people have been evacuated along with over 100 fatalities.
According to the ITLF, the incident on May 4 happened following the burning down of the women’s settlement and the murder of two males.
Humanity has died in Manipur – Mallikarjun Kharge
The leader of India’s main opposition Congress party, Mallikarjun Kharge, tweeted on Thursday, just before the start of Parliament, that “Humanity has died in Manipur.” Modi has come under heavy fire for how he has handled the situation. By tearing apart the fragile social fabric of the state, the BJP and the Modi government have transformed democracy and the rule of law into mobocracy.
His tweet continued, “India will never forgive your silence,” tagging Modi. If your government still has any conscience or remorse, you should talk about Manipur in Parliament and explain what happened, rather than placing blame elsewhere for your combined failure at both the Center and the State.
N. Biren Singh, the state’s chief minister, tweeted shortly afterward to announce an arrest.
The Manipur Police “swung into action and made the first arrest this morning after taking a Suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced,” he added. Suo-moto cognisance is an Indian legal procedure that enables the court to act in a matter even in the absence of a complaint.
He said, “An extensive investigation is currently under progress, and we’ll make sure that all of the criminals face harsh punishment, perhaps even the death penalty. Let it be understood that such horrible deeds have no place in our society.
Police in Manipur later announced that they had detained three more suspects “of the heinous crime of abduction and gang rape.”
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Indian government has ordered Twitter and other social media platforms not to share the trending video. The source added that it is “imperative for social media platforms to adhere to Indian laws as the matter is currently under investigation.”
