​Manipur viral video case: Police team meets parade victims, begins process of recording statements

Police investigation: The Manipur Police has begun the process of recording of statements in the viral video case and in this process contacted the two women who were paraded naked in May, officials said on Friday (July 28).

In view of the situation developing out of the ethnic clashes that broke out in the state on May 3, a team of women officials and personnel from Manipur police was formed for an investigation into the case, they added.

The officials informed that the team had met the family members as well as the two victim women and begun the process of recording their statements.

“The process of identifying eyewitnesses and recording their statement has also begun,” they said.

According to the top government sources in the national capital, cases pertaining to sexual assault were likely to be handed over to the CBI.

“Too little, too late”

The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) spokesperson Ginza Vualzong termed the arrest of the people in the viral video case “too little, too late”.

“I would have appreciated it if the culprits were arrested before the video went viral. The FIR was registered on May 18. There are many more such cases. Having said that I would also like to clarify that arresting people would not solve the larger issues of the state which has been witnessing ethnic clashes. I request the Centre to take the Manipur issue seriously and take steps to end the violence and come up with a solution,” he said.

As many as seven people including a juvenile have been arrested so far in connection with the case.

Tension soared in Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on June 19 showing two tribal women being paraded naked by some men from the other side in Kangpokpi district.

Police had registered a case of abduction, gangrape, and murder at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown armed persons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud also expressed anguish and called the incident “shameful” and “unacceptable”.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority the Meiteis, concentrated in Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills.

Over 150 people have been killed in the violence so far.

(With PTI inputs)

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