More cases of women being assaulted surface in Manipur

In Manipur, ethnic violence has led to a series of horrific crimes against women, including disrobing, parading naked, rape, and murder. On May 6, a 45-year-old woman was stripped and set ablaze in Imphal East. On May 4, two women were raped, tortured, and murdered in Imphal East. Ten legislators from the Kuki-Zo community have released a statement mentioning at least four other incidents.

Two days after three women were disrobed and paraded naked, one of whom was raped, in Manipur’s Thoubal district, a 45-year-old woman was stripped and set ablaze in Imphal East on May 6. A photo of the charred body of the woman has now surfaced on social media.

The incidents are among a series of crimes committed against women since ethnic violence erupted in the State on May 3. After the video of the Thoubal incident went viral this week, despite an Internet ban that has been imposed in the State, four accused were arrested.

On Thursday, 10 Manipur legislators from the Kuki-Zo community, including seven from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), released a statement mentioning at least four other incidents where women belonging to their community were either raped or murdered since May 3.

Thianna Vaiphei Sauntak, a pastor at Pheitaiching village, told The Hindu that he had found the semi-charred body of the 45-year-old mother of two on May 7, a day after a large mob had attacked the village. He said he went there under army protection.

“The body was half burnt, she was naked. The body was taken away to a government hospital in Imphal, we do not know where it is,” Mr. Sauntak said.

The pastor recalled that armed men wearing black shirts had descended on the village on May 6. He claimed that Manipur Police commandos had accompanied the mob.

“While our houses were torched, most villagers were able to flee the scene. The woman, who used to live alone, could not run away and was caught by the mob. She was killed, her body was mutilated,” he said. He added that it was on his complaint that a zero First Information Report (FIR) was registered in Kangpokpi for rioting, murder, and mischief by fire. A police source said that the case had been transferred to Imphal East. Zero FIRs are filed irrespective of jurisdiction.