Manipur CM N Biren Singh on Thursday said the state police made the first arrest in the case related to an incident on May 4 in which two Kuki women were paraded naked by a mob in the Kangpokpi district.
"My hearts go out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur police swung to action and made the first arrest this morning," Singh tweeted on Thursday.
My hearts go out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking a Suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur Police swung to action…
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) July 20, 2023
A thorough investigation is currently underway and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment. Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society, Singh further tweeted.
The shocking video surfaced on social media on Wednesday, more than 70 days after the incident took place on May 4. The video showed a mob parading two women while the males repeatedly molested her.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum, a forum of the Kuki tribe said the two women belong to the Kuki tribe and the mob comprised of Meiteis.
"The gangrape of the women in B. Phainom village happened after the village was burnt down and two men, one middle-aged and another a teenager, were brutally beaten to death by the mob. The horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators’ decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media," ITLF said in a statement on Wednesday.
Manipur police, which did not disclose the incident, issued a statement on Wednesday evening, hours after the video was shared on social media. Police said a case of abduction, rape and murder has been registered in Thoubal district and efforts were underway to arrest the culprits.
The clashes between sections of the majority Meitei and the Kuki tribe started on May 3 in the Churachandpur district, soon after a "solidarity march" was organised by tribal groups opposing the move to accord ST status to the Meiteis. Over 14o people have been killed and over 60,000 others have been left displaced due to the violence since then.