The May 4 video showing sexual violence and humiliation of the two Kuki women paraded naked in Kangpokpi has sent shockwaves across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, speaking before the start of Monsoon session of Parliament, called the incident a matter of shame for the people of the country and said that he was pained and enraged at the incident in the video. Now, one of the victims seen in the video, has said that the police present during the whole episode not only failed to act but were also complicit in a way that it was the police that "gave" them to the mob.
The startling revelation was made by the younger victim to the Indian Express. In the video that went viral on July 19 and immediately caused massive outrage, a girl in her 20s and a woman in her 40s are seen surrounded by a mob, who not only forced the victims to strip but also groped them and sexually molested them.
"Given to them by police"
The girl in the 20s, speaking to the Indian Express on the phone, said that an FIR was lodged on May 18 and alleged that the police was with the mob that attaked their village. She also alleged that the police took them away from their village and left them on the road, where the mob was. "We were given to them by police,” she told the Indian Express.
Recalling the ordeal, the victim said that there were total of five people, which involved her, a woman in 40s seen in the video, another woman in her 50s who was also stripped they alleged, and that father and brother of the girl in 20s, who were killed, she said.
Can identify a few culprits
On the culprits, she said that though there were a lot of people, she can recognise or identify some of the men, including the one who was a friend of his brother. She also said that they were not aware about any video of the incident as there has been a ban on internet in Manipur.
Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) statement
According to a spokesperson of Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), the "despicable scene, which happened on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, shows men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors."
"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," said a statement by the forum. The state of Manipur has seen violence since May 3 after conflict broke out between the Meitei and Kuki community members. Widespread violence and arson has been reported from the state ever since the ethnic conflicts broke out.
Manipur police statement
All out effort to arrest culprits as regard to the viral video of 02 (two) women paraded naked :* As regard to the viral video of 02 (two) women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on 4th May, 2023, a case of abduction, gangrape and murder etc was registered at Nongpok Sekmai PS (Thoubal District) against unknown armed miscreants and the investigation has been started. The State Police is making all-out effort to arrest the culprits at the earliest.
