Humanity Plunges In Manipur: Two Women Paraded Naked, Allegedly Raped, India Fails Once Again

The Manipur Police on Thursday has made four arrests of people who were allegedly part of the mob that paraded and assualted three women after making them strip on May 4, 2023.

In a ghastly incident, two women were stripped, paraded naked, and allegedly raped in Manipur. The distressing piece of news has sent shockwaves across the nation. It's been a few hours since a disturbing video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur surfaced online. The video came to light when a protest march was announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) to underline the plight of women in the state. According to a statement by ITLF, the incident took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district.

Perpetrators Amplify Sexual Assault Video

Almost 70 days later, the perpetrators circulated the video online and it is now going viral over the internet. In the video, several men can be seen walking alongside the two women, groping and thrashing them in public glare.

It is horrifying that after assaulting the two women and putting them through the shocking ordeal, their video was amplified by the perpetrators on social media. Further, social media platforms publishing a disturbing video that discloses the identity of the victims has left the country anxious. The Centre has asked Twitter to pull down the video, however, it is already all over the web. It is unfortunate that the two women undergoing trauma still have no solace, let alone justice.

Bizarre Findings

News Comes Into Light After Two Months

The incident took place about two months ago. However, it is only recently that it surfaced online. As per a report by DailyO, this happened when a group of villagers were seeking refuge in a nearby forest and came across a mob. Three women from the group were then asked to strip naked and take a stroll in public, surrounded by a group of men. When the brother of a victim tried to intervene, he was killed on the spot.

Despite the government deputing security forces to restore order in the state, the violence doesn't seem to stop. The government announced an internet ban initially in the state which was partially lifted earlier this month.

FIR Filed Two Weeks Later

As per a report by The Wire, the incident took place on May 4 but a zero FIR was filed by the Saikul police in Kangpokpi district two weeks later on May 18. The FIR was further transferred to the Nongpok Sekmai police station. Charges of murder and rape against 'unknown miscreants' numbering '800-1000' have been mentioned in the zero FIR. According to the complaint, these men are believed to belong to Meitei Youth Organisations, Meetei Leepun, Kangleipak Kanba Lup, Arambai Tenggol, and World Meitei Council, Schedule Tribe Demand Committee. (source - The Wire)

Another Social Upheaval Targeting Women

Unfortunately, this is just another case of women bearing the cost of social disturbance. In the past, there have been multiple occasions where women have targeted women amidst social unrest. A group of men attacking two women in an area of conflict is proof that it is always easy for people to turn women's bodies into a battlefield in the name of their honour.

There has been an ethnic clash in Manipur ever since May 3, 2023, amidst the Meitei community (the largest and dominant group of Manipur) and the Kuki-Zo community (the tribal group from surrounding hills). Strangely for some, the lynchings, burnings, and lootings weren't enough and they further decided to use women's bodies as a tool to seek vengeance.

On her show, BottomLine With Barkha, celebrated journalist Barkha Dutt connected with Glady Hunjan, a rights activist from the Kuki Community on the viral Manipur video and she further shared the disturbing state of women in the state. "How many more lives have to be sacrificed by Manipur for everything to become normal," asked the activist. Glady Hujan during the interaction further shared that this one was just another incident from Manipur. She said, “There have been so many multiple incidents. Two students were pulled down from their rented house, raped, and killed, the bodies are still in the morgue in Imphal.”

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She shared another tragic incident where a seven-year-old boy was shot in the head by a sniper. "She took her boy in her arms thinking that she would be spared. She was a Meitei lady who married a Kuki guy. She took the boy in the ambulance and on the way, the group burnt the ambulance with the mother and boy inside."

Meitei Vs Kuki-Zo Tribe

The violence between the two communities began after the Meities demanded the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in the state. Meitei is a dominant community in Manipur while the Kuki-Zo tribe is 40%. After the Meitei community's demand for ST status was forwarded to the Centre by the state government, a march was organised by tribal groups Nagas and Kukis.

During the march, a mob allegedly attacked people from the Meitei community. Further, the government evicted the Kuki villages that were intruding on the protected forest areas that sparked anger towards the Meitei community.

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The Meitei community, though the larger group, resides in 10 % of the total land area in the state while the rest of Manipur belongs to tribal groups like Kukis and Nagas. Nagas and Kukis traditionally are opponents but they get together against the Meities and that is what happened in Manipur during the uproar.

India Awaits The Government's Call To Action

As soon as the video went up on social media and netizens amplified it further, it reached leaders in power and many took to Twitter to share their take on the terrifying incident. BJP Union Minister Smriti Irani tweeted, "The horrific video of sexual assault of two women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to Chief Minister N Biren Singh ji, who has informed me that the investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice."

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Manipur violence tweeted, "PM’s silence and inaction has led Manipur into anarchy.

INDIA will not stay silent while the idea of India is being attacked in Manipur.

We stand with the people of Manipur. Peace is the only way forward."

Soon the two leaders of opposition parties got into a war of words on Twitter. However, soon, a video of PM Modi calling on the Manipur viral video was out.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too addressed the Manipur video ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament and said that it has put shame on the entire nation. He further assured the citizens that the accused won't be spared. He said, "This a shameful incident for any society..who did this and who is responsible is another issue but this has put our nation to shame. I appeal to all chief ministers to tighten law and order. Whether it is Rajasthan, Chattisgarh or Manipur...the issue of a woman's honour is above all politics. The law will decide and take steps against miscreants in Manipur women parade issue."

PM Modi urged the state to make the required arrangements to safeguard women and take strict action against the accused. Manipur violence doesn't seem to stop for months now. With government intervention, there's a glimmer of hope for women in the state. However, It is unfortunate that it took a video for our leaders to finally react to the social unrest in the state.

After the video was out on the net, the Manipur Police got into action this morning and arrested one of the accused. Identified as Heradas, the 32-year-old was arrested from Thoubal district today. He was reportedly identified with the help of the video. The government is also likely to take action against Twitter for circulating the disturbing video.

Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh after announcing the first arrest tweeted, “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.”

The video of men outraging the modesty of two women in public will haunt us for years to come. We wonder what lies ahead for Manipur. The state is currently witnessing its most taxing times. Going forward, we only long for a safer space for women, a place where perpetrators don't get to roam freely on the streets and victims get complete, timely justice without losing their dignity.