Cops arrest 4 after Manipur viral video outrage, house of main accused burnt down

After a shocking video from May 4 showing two women being paraded naked in Manipur went viral, four individuals, including the man directing the mob, have been arrested.

On Thursday (July 20) evening, Chief Minister N Biren Singh briefed reporters that two persons have been arrested. Hours later, official sources said two more arrests have been made.

The women in the video belonged to one of the warring communities in the hill state. The mob also allegedly gang-raped one of the women, and her brother was killed when he tried to intervene.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke for the first time on the Manipur situation. Speaking about the May 4 video, the PM said, "The Manipur incident is shameful for any decent society. My heart is full of pain and anger."

"I assure the nation, no guilty will be spared. The law will take its course with all its might. What has happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven," PM Modi said.

ALSO READ: Manipur viral video leaves India furious, tensions escalate in state, PM Modi vows action

Manipur CM said a thorough investigation is currently underway. "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," he tweeted.

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

Latest developments:

• Four individuals, including the man directing the mob, have been arrested.
• The house of the main accused, who paraded two women naked in Manipur, was burnt down by a mob on Thursday.
• Visuals showed a group of people, mostly women, setting the house of Huirem Herodas Meitei on fire.
• Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has asked for capital punishment for the culprits.
• Delhi Commission for Women Chief Swati Maliwal writes to PM Modi, urging immediate action to curb violence and support survivors.
• The National Commission for Women (NCW) directs Twitter India to remove the video for the protection of victims' identities.
• The disturbing incident was triggered by the dissemination of fake news that falsely claimed a woman from a specific community in Manipur had been raped.
• The influential Meitei body, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), has strongly condemned the violence and pledges to ensure justice for the victims.

The video

The video shows two women, hailing from the Kuki-Zomi community, being paraded naked by a mob led by men in violence-hit Manipur. The video is over two months old, and it was confirmed late Tuesday (July 18) that the victims were first gang-raped by men and later, stripped and forced to be strolled publicly, as reported by India Today.

The Centre has issued an order to Twitter and other social media platforms, instructing them not to share the video. The government, in its instructions, held that it was imperative to adhere to Indian laws and that the matter was under investigation.

What happened on May 4

A group of villagers, seeking refuge in a nearby forest, fell victim to an aggressive mob in the May 4 incident in Manipur's Kangpokpi district.

Three women were stripped naked in front of a mob. They were part of a group of five people who were abducted by a mob following the violence that broke out the day before.

ALSO READ: How Manipur became a part of India in 1949

The mob also allegedly gang-raped one of the women - a 19-year-old, and her brother was killed when he tried to intervene.

What is happening in Manipur?

Ethnic clashes have been ongoing in Manipur since May 3, 2023. The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities has resulted in the deaths of over 160 people and the displacement of thousands more.

The clashes were sparked by a Tribal Solidarity March held in the state's hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Meitei are the majority community in Manipur, while the Kukis are a tribal group that makes up about 40% of the state's population.

The Indian government has deployed thousands of security forces to try to restore order, but the violence has continued. The government has also imposed a curfew in some areas and suspended internet services.