Manipur Police Arrest Sixth Accused in Viral Video Case
The Manipur Police have made another arrest in connection with a disturbing viral video that showed two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in the state. This latest arrest brings the total number of individuals apprehended to six.
The Manipur Police Twitter handle announced the arrest, stating, 6 (six) including 1 (one) Juvenile Arrested/Apprehended. As regard to the viral video of 2 (two) women on May 4, 2023, another accused was arrested today. Altogether 6 (six) persons including 5 (five) main accused and one juvenile have been arrested and apprehended in the case so far.
Efforts are underway to capture the remaining culprits, with police conducting raids at suspected hideouts. The initial arrest was made shortly after the video surfaced, and since then, four additional arrests were made on July 20. All four individuals were remanded to 11-day police custody.
The incident occurred on May 4 in Manipur’s Thoubal district, leading to a case of abduction, gangrape, and murder being registered. According to Superintendent of Police K Meghachandra Singh, armed miscreants were responsible for the heinous acts against the two women paraded naked.
The disturbing incident comes amid ongoing violence in Manipur following protests by the Kuki and Meitei communities regarding the potential inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. The majority Meitei community is seeking ST status to purchase lands in hilly areas due to population growth and land requirements.
Addressing the demands for his resignation, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh focused on restoring peace and ensuring justice for the victims. He emphasized that the people of Manipur respect women and condemned the incident in the viral video.
In response to the protests, Singh stated that the people in Manipur respect all women in the same manner as they respect their mothers and sisters. The Opposition’s raucous protests in Parliament prompted Singh’s remarks, highlighting the deep concern surrounding the incident.
As the investigations continue, the Manipur Police are committed to apprehending all those responsible for the crime and delivering justice to the victims. The arrests made so far are an important step towards ensuring that the full extent of the law is applied in this matter.
With ongoing efforts and public support, the hope is that all the perpetrators will be brought to justice, providing some solace to the victims and sending a strong message that such heinous acts will not be tolerated in Manipur.
