Outrage ignites over viral video of disturbing assault on women in Manipur

In a harrowing incident from Manipur, India, two women from the Kuki-Zo tribe were paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob of men, the event occurring about two months ago amid ongoing violence in the state. The assault, which occurred in the Meitei-dominated valley of the Thoubal district, was caught on video, which began to circulate widely on social media platforms on Wednesday, July 19, inciting widespread criticism.

An FIR (First Information Report) had been lodged against unknown perpetrators on May 18 for charges that included abduction, gangrape, and murder. However, despite the charges and the evidence from the video, no arrests have been made to date.

The video clip shows a distressing scene: the two women, one in her 20s and the other in her 40s, are being forcibly led towards a field by a mob of men. The complaint, as reported by the Indian Express, revealed that the women were part of the same family, attempting to escape towards a forest when a large armed group began to loot and burn their village on May 4. The women were ambushed while en route to the police station for rescue, and subsequently assaulted around two kilometers away from the station.

Sexual assault of Kuki-Zo women in Manipur sparks outrage. Image courtesy of BestGraphics_Com from Pixabay.

The father of the younger woman was killed on the spot, and her brother was also killed when he attempted to intervene. The two women were later able to escape to the nearby Tengnoupal hill district and are currently residing in relief camps.

Manipur Superintendent of Police K Meghachandra Singh responded to the viral video, noting that a case had been registered and investigations were ongoing. The local police force has committed to making every effort to bring the perpetrators to justice.