Manipur Police arrests fifth suspect; Kuki community protests at Jantar Mantar

Key points:

• Kuki community members staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Saturday.

• Manipur Police arrested the fifth individual in the stripping, parading, and sexually assaulting case of two women from the viral video.

• Four other culprits involved in the case were sent to 11-day police custody.

On Saturday, Manipur Police arrested a fifth individual, around 19 years old, in connection with the incident on May 4, where two tribal women were paraded naked in Kangpokpi district.

Meanwhile, members of the Kuki community gathered at Jantar Mantar in the national capital to stage a protest against the brutalities in Manipur. Demonstrators held placards and chanted slogans, urging justice and the execution of the culprits responsible for the horrifying incident where women from the Kuki-Zomi community were stripped, paraded, and sexually assaulted.

Additionally, the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) denounced the incident, expressing strong disapproval and asserting that such actions are savage, barbaric, and inhumane, completely unacceptable in a civilized society.

Members of the Kuki community gathered at Jantar Mantar

Officials reported that the women were allegedly sexually assaulted before being released by the mob. The emergence of a 26-second video of the incident on Wednesday led to widespread condemnation.

The day after, four individuals involved in the mob and seen dragging one of the women were arrested and remanded to 11-day police custody on Friday.

Notably, one of the women in the video is the wife of a former Army man who served as a subedar in the Assam Regiment and had fought in the Kargil War.

Around a month ago, on June 21, a complaint regarding the video was lodged at the Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district.

According to the FIR, which was seen by PTI, the chaos preceding the abduction of the tribal women led to the heinous incident captured in the video. The FIR further stated that one individual was killed by the mob while attempting to protect his sister from rape on May 4. Subsequently, the two women were paraded naked and subjected to molestation in the presence of others.

The state has witnessed over 160 fatalities and numerous injuries following the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3. The unrest began with a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in the hill districts, organized in opposition to the Meitei community's call for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

About 53% of Manipur's population consists of Meiteis, primarily residing in the Imphal Valley. Meanwhile, the remaining 40% comprises various tribal communities like Nagas and Kukis, predominantly residing in the hill districts.