IMPHAL: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet on the incident of two women paraded naked in ethnic violence-ridden Manipur on May 4, has unearthed some harrowing details.
According to a national news agency report, the CBI chargesheet mentions that the two women from the Kuki-Zo community were allegedly abandoned by Manipur police personnel and were left to the mercy of a mob of Meitei rioters.
The CBI chargesheet, filed before a special judge in Guwahati last year, states that the incident unfolded in Kangpokpi district on May 4, with the two women seeking refuge in a police car amidst a mob of approximately 1,000 rioters.
Despite their desperate pleas for help, the police personnel purportedly refused to assist, claiming there was “no key to the vehicle”, the news agency reported from the chargesheet.
Tragically, the women, one of whom was the wife of a Kargil war veteran, found themselves at the mercy of the violent mob, enduring unspeakable horrors including being stripped naked and sexually assaulted.
A video capturing the heinous act went viral in July, sparking outrage across the nation.
The CBI’s investigation has resulted in charges against six individuals, including Huirem Herodas Meitei, apprehended by Manipur Police in July, as well as a report filed against a juvenile.
The accused face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including gangrape, murder, outraging the modesty of a woman, and criminal conspiracy.
The chargesheet paints a grim picture of the events, detailing how the victims, along with others, attempted to flee into the forest to evade the mob but were ultimately cornered and separated.
Despite the presence of police personnel, no assistance was rendered, with the situation escalating to the point where the victims were left defenceless against the violent onslaught.
The incident, which claimed the life of one victim’s father, raises questions on the systemic failures and grave human rights violations in ethnic conflict-ridden Manipur.
