Manipur unrest: Two more women were gangraped and killed by mob on May 4; sixth accused arrested

A two-month-old video from India’s Manipur, showing a mob of men parading two women naked and sexually assaulting them, recently went viral, triggering massive outrage on social media. Now, it turns out that the two women were not the only ones who were sexually molested and raped on the same day in the state.

Recent media reports suggest that two more women from Manipur’s Kangpokpi district were sexually assaulted, and then murdered on May 4, at a site nearly 40 km away from where the other viral video incident took place. Both ladies, aged 21 and 24, were targeted by a mob of men and women.

Astonishingly, some women in the mob reportedly encouraged the men to sexually assault the girls, whom they had abducted from a nearby car wash centre.

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FIR registered on May 16th

NDTV reported that the identities of the victims were initially kept hidden due to fear of stigma; however, a Zero FIR report was eventually registered with police on May 16.

"Their dead bodies are not yet recovered, and their whereabouts are also not known till date," the FIR read. It also mentioned that the mob consisted of nearly 200 persons, including men and women.

However, police have so far failed to make any arrests in thiscase, which has also been brought to the notice of the National Commission for Women (NCW) by two women rights activists and the North American Manipur Tribal Association.

Opposition to hold protests in Parliament

Meanwhile the Members of Parliament (MPs) from India’s opposition parties will hold protests on Monday near Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the parliament complex, reportedtheIndian Express.

Watch:Gravitas: Manipur Horror: Women take centrestage at protests

Leaders of the newly-established alliance INDIA will assemble at the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber and discuss further strategy.

Sixth accused arrested in the viral video case

Meanwhile, Manipur police on Saturday arrested a sixth person in connection with parading two women naked. The official media handle of Manipur Police on Twittersaid,"6 (six) including 1 (one) Juvenile Arrested/Apprehended. As regard to the viral video of 2 (two) women on May 4, 2023, another accused was arrested today. Altogether 6 (six) persons including 5 (five) main accused and one juvenile have been arrested and apprehended in the case so far."

Emerging from the state, these horrifying events are the latest testament to a tragedy that has unfolded, claiming the lives of at least 125 people and leaving over 40,000 displaced since the outbreak of violence on May 3rd.

The unrest originated in a region bordering Myanmar, where clashes were triggered between the Kuki tribal community and the Meitei, the ethnic majority. The root cause of the conflict was the disagreement over the allocation of economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes.

Initially, there were signs of the situation de-escalating when the central government swiftly dispatched thousands of paramilitary and army troops to the state, which is home to a population of 3.2 million. However, any hopes of a lasting peace were dashed as sporadic violence and killings resumed shortly after the deployment, plunging the state into a persistent state of tension and unrest.

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