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Stripping, parading of Manipur women: Six charged with gang rape and murder
Separately, a report has been filed against a juvenile accused in the case about his exact role in the case along with the evidence for it, officials added.
The Central Bureau of Investigation has charged six men with the gang-rape of three tribal women in the Nongpok Sekmai district of Manipur on May 4, and the murder of two male relatives of one of the women, officials said on Monday. The case drew widespread attention as a video of the incident showing the women being paraded naked and molested went viral on social media.
Separately, a report has been filed against a juvenile accused in the case about his exact role in the case along with the evidence for it, officials added.
“A charge sheet was filed today before the special judge, CBI Court, Guwahati designated as per the orders of the Supreme Court,” CBI said in a statement.
A mob of 900-1000 men, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered the B Phainom village, set houses ablaze, looted properties, assaulted villagers, committed murders and sexually assaulted women in the afternoon of May 4, officials said.
On July 19, a 30-second video emerged on social media, which showed a group of men hooting and applauding as two distraught women were stripped and paraded through a field; the women were molested and groped as they walked. An FIR filed on May 18 identified the women as Kuki, and said the mob was composed of Meitei community members.
Police arrested four accused in the case on July 20, one accused was arrested and a juvenile was apprehended on July 22 and the sixth accused on July 23, and the seventh accused was arrested on July 24.
CBI took over the probe on July 21 after allegations of inaction against the Manipur police.
In its statement on Monday, the CBI statement said, “CBI investigation revealed that these accused were involved in the said incident. Further investigation is continuing, including the identification of other accused involved in the offences beside other aspects of the case.”
This is the first charge sheet that CBI has filed in the 27 FIRs it is probing in connection with the ethnic clashes that have roiled the state since May 3. Of the 27 cases, 19 are those of crimes against women.
The accused have been charged under sections of murder, gangrape, criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity between different groups, and under sections of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act among, officials aware of the case details said.
During its probe, the central agency recorded statements of the survivors, who identified the accused, the officials said.
Speaking to HT over the phone on October 5, the husband of one of the rape survivors said he was unable to understand the CBI had only arrested seven people in the case. “Those too were initially arrested by Manipur Police. So many people were involved in the crime, but there have been no more arrests,” he said.
The mother of the second woman seen in the video said that while the family continued to live in Churachandpur, they were unsafe in their own homes. “The CBI officers say they have arrested the accused; so many people were involved, but only seven have been apprehended. How is this possible? The photos of the arrested were shown to us by CBI over video call. We confirmed that they were there at the spot, but what about the others? I want those animals arrested,” she told HT on October 6.
One held for June 21 blast
The National Investigation Agency and Assam Police on Monday arrested the main accused of a bomb blast took place in Manipur’s Bishnupur district in June this year.
The person identified as Mohammad Noor Hussain was arrested from Assam’s Cachar district, officials said.
On June 21, a blast took place in a parked Scorpio in Bishnupur district of Manipur. Three people were injured, and the bridge, along with nearby houses, got damaged in the impact.
