Imphal (Manipur) [India], July 22 (ANI): The Manipur Police on Saturday arrested another accused in connection with a viral video that showed two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in the state. Police said that total of six arrests have been made so far in the incident which occured on May 4,2023.
In this regard, the official media handle of Manipur Police took to Twitter and said,”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.”
Police said that it is making all-out effort to arrest the remaining culprits by conducting raids at many suspected hideouts. On July 20, Police had arrested four accused in the case and all were later remanded to 11 day police custody.
The first arrest in the case was made in the early hours of Thursday, hours after the video surfaced widely. According to a senior police official the incident took place on May 4 in Manipur’s Thoubal district and a case of abduction, gangrape and murder was registered in the matter.
Superintendent of Police (SP), K Meghachandra Singh in a statement on July 19 said “As regards the video of 2 (two) women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on 4th May 2023, a case of abduction, gangrape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai Police Station (Thoubal district) against unknown armed miscreants.”
Manipur has been witnessing violence since May 3, following the protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities against the High Court’s order asking the state government to consider the inclusion of Meitei community in the category of Scheduled Tribes (ST). Only STs can buy lands in hilly areas.
The majority Meitei community, which occupy the Imphal valley and nearby areas, sought the ST status keeping in view their increasing population and increased requirement of land, so that they could purchase lands in the hilly areas.
Earlier on Friday, state Chief Minister N Biren Singh evaded a question over the demand for him to step down, stating that his job was to restore peace to the state and ensure that the perpetrators of the alleged incident in the viral video are brought to book. On the raucous protests by the Opposition in Parliament over the issue, Singh said the people in Manipur respect all women in the same manner as they respect their mothers and sisters. (ANI)
