Two Kuki-Zo tribal women were seen in a video being paraded in Manipur while completely naked, which went viral on social media. Numerous young men are seen walking beside the victims while other men drag them into the fields. According to a report by Scroll.in, two women from the Kuki-Zo tribe in Manipur were paraded naked, abused, and one of them allegedly had a gang rape committed against her. The act, which the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum strongly condemned, is said to have taken place in the Kangpokpi district following the destruction of the B Phainom hamlet.

The ITLF claims that the mob murdered two men—one young and one middle-aged—before turning on the two ladies. According to a press statement by the ITLF, the event took place on May 4 in the Kangpokpi district and featured males repeatedly abusing the defenseless ladies while they sobbed and begged their captors for mercy. According to a press statement from the ITLF, "the perpetrators' choice to share the video, which shows the victims' identities on social media, is amplifying the horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women." The distressing video received a lot of attention and was widely criticized. The video was making the rounds just before the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) announced a planned protest march on thursday to draw attention to their predicament.

FIR Filed
A police complaint made by the women's families claims that one of the ladies was later gang-raped, according to the Scroll.in article. According to the police, a zero FIR was filed on May 18 in the Saikul police station of the Kangpokpi district based on the complaint. A zero FIR permits any police station to accept and submit a complaint before passing it to the proper station, whereas FIRs are registered in the police station within the jurisdiction of which the alleged crime happened. According to a police official at the Saikul station who was quoted in the news, "unknown miscreants" numbering "800-1,000" had been charged with murder, rape, and other crimes.

In Island Sub-Division Kangpokpi district, Manipur, "some unidentified miscreants...carrying sophisticated weapons like AK Rifles, SLR. INSAS and.303 Rifles, forcedly entered our village," according to the complaint. The allegation stated that the mob then proceeded to burn and vandalize the residences in the village. Five villagers were running "towards the forest" to save themselves, according to the complaint, during the specific occurrence. Two guys and three women made up the group. A 56-year-old man, his 19-year-old son, and his 21-year-old daughter all belonged to the same family. The report stated that the gathering also included two additional ladies, one 42 years old and the other 52.

According to the complaint, a crew from the Nongpok Sekmai police station "rescued" them on their way to the forest. However, the lawsuit claims that they were "snatched from the custody of the police team by the violent mob near Toubu" and "blocked on the way by a mob near Nongpok Sekmai." According to the lawsuit, the 56-year-old was promptly murdered by the mob, and as a result, "all three women were physically forced to remove their clothing and were stripped naked in front of the mob." The lawsuit claims that the other two women "managed to escape from the spot with the help of some people of the area who were known to them" while the 21-year-old lady was "brutally gang-raped in broad daylight." It further states that the younger brother of the 21-year-old "tried to defend his sister's modesty and life but he was immediately murdered by members of the mob."

ITLF demands Justice
The ITLF spokesperson issued a statement denouncing the "sickening act" and calling on the federal, state, National Commission for women, and National Commission for scheduled tribes to recognise the crime and prosecute those responsible. On thursday, there is a protest march planned in Churchandpur, and the Kuki-Zo tribal people intend to bring up this matter as well. Since May 3, there have been racial conflicts in the state of Manipur between the Kukis who live in the hills and the majority of Meiteis who live in the Imphal valley. The violence has already claimed the lives of almost 160 people.
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Manipur Violence

SIBY JEYYA

20/07/2023 08:19 AM