Written by: Neha Mainali
Edited by: Pallavi Bhagat
Violence in Manipur: A two-month-old video of two women being paraded naked surfaced online. The primary suspect was taken into custody on Thursday. Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, guarantees harsh measures, including potential execution, in molestation cases. Prime Minister Modi breaks the quiet and promises strict punishment for offenders with the “full might of the law.”
As soon as a video of two women being paraded by men from one group from the opposite side on May 4 appeared on social media, the situation in the hills of Manipur became more tense. Fortunately, one of the survivors managed to flee. She said that when she heeded their orders to “protect herself,” the guys reportedly slapped and punched her. She continued by saying that the guys had carried her to a rice field close to the road and had instructed her to “lie down” there. “I followed their instructions, and three guys surrounded me… Let’s rape her, one said to the other, but they ultimately decided against it.
According to sources, on July 20, the Manipur Police detained one of the key suspects visible in the video of two tribal women being assaulted by a crowd at a village in the Senapati district. They said several police teams were set up after the incident’s footage aired.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court condemned the viral video of two women being paraded in Manipur while naked as “simply unacceptable”. It stated that it was “deeply disturbed” by the occurrence. The Centre and the Manipur government were ordered to submit a report by July 28 outlining the actions taken to hold those responsible accountable and the procedures to prevent similar instances.
