Manipur horror video: CM N Biren Singh considers capital punishment for culprits
Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday declared that he is considering the strictest action, including possible capital punishment, after conducting a thorough investigation into the distressing incident where two women were paraded naked and allegedly subjected to gang rape amidst the ongoing ethnic clashes in the state.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said the government is committed to ensuring a meticulous investigation to hold those responsible accountable for their heinous actions.
"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," he said amid widespread outrage.
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
The incident, which occurred on May 4, came to light on Wednesday when a distressing video emerged, showing two women being stripped and paraded naked by men from a rival community.
The video's release triggered heightened tension in the Manipur hills, particularly on the eve of a protest march organized by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) to highlight their plight and the challenges they face.
As per the police complaint, on the day of the incident, a large group of around 800 to 1,000 people, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered B. Phainom village.
They went on a rampage vandalising, looting properties, and setting houses on fire.
These miscreants were suspected to have links with Meitei organizations.
Amidst the chaos, five villagers—two men and three women—took refuge in the nearby forest to escape the violence.
A team from Nongpok Sekmai Police later rescued them and began escorting them to the police station. Unfortunately, the mob abducted them on the way.
The mob killed one of the men immediately and then subjected the three women to a horrifying ordeal. They stripped the women, and one of the women, aged 21, was brutally gang-raped. When her 19-year-old brother tried to intervene, he was also murdered by the mob.
The incident has shaken an already volatile situation in Manipur, where ethnic clashes since early May have led to at least 80 deaths and over 40,000 people displaced from their homes.
