Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Wednesday reacted to the May 4 video of two women being “paraded naked" on a road allegedly by a group of men and assured capital punishment for those involved.
Speaking to CNN-News18, he said, “It is a crime against humanity and if found true, the state government will leave no stone unturned to nab the culprits and give them capital punishment. It is a heinous crime and I condemn it strongly."
According to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), the incident took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, a day after ethnic clashes broke out in the state between the Meitei and Kuki Communities.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani also condemned the incident and termed it “downright inhuman". “The horrific video of the sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM N BirenSingh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice," she tweeted.
Biren Singh and Irani’s reactions came after tension mounted in the hills of Manipur over a May 4 video that surfaced on Wednesday purportedly showing two women from one of the warring communities being “paraded naked" by a few men from the other side.
Officials said in Imphal that the video was doing the rounds on the eve of a planned protest march announced by ITLF on Thursday to highlight their plight.
News agency PTI quoted police as saying that a case of abduction, gang rape, and murder has been registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown armed miscreants.
In a statement, they said an all-out effort is on to arrest the culprits at the earliest.
Manipur state has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority the Meiteis, concentrated in Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills. Over 160 people have been killed in the violence so far.
(with inputs from PTI)