22-7-2023 (NEW DELHI) Outraged by a heinous sexual assault case that shocked the nation, women in India’s northeastern state of Manipur took matters into their own hands and attacked the house of the main suspect, according to state police reports on Friday (July 21).
The incident in question occurred two months ago, where the main suspect allegedly dragged two tribal women onto the streets, inciting a mob to rape and publicly humiliate them. This disturbing event recently gained national attention after a video of the assault went viral on social media, sparking unrest in Manipur.
Prompted by the public outcry, the Manipur resident who was the prime suspect in the case was arrested on Thursday, just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly condemned the assault, describing it as “shameful,” and promised swift and decisive action.
Apart from the main suspect, three others were also apprehended, while police are actively tracing at least 30 other individuals allegedly involved in the crime.
Following the arrest, local women in Manipur expressed their anger by pelting stones and setting parts of the suspect’s house on fire in a village, as confirmed by Hemant Pandey, a senior police official in the state capital Imphal. Despite the women’s actions, authorities urged peaceful protests and acknowledged the intensity of emotions in the community.
A group of women allegedly set fire to the house of a man accused of sexually assaulting women.
According to state police on Friday, in India’s northeastern state of Manipur, women attacked the house of the main suspect involved in a sexual assault case that has sparked outrage… pic.twitter.com/CwQwMYp0eP
— Mahad Hassan (@MahadWayax) July 21, 2023
According to the police complaint filed in May, the assault occurred in a village in Kangpokpi district, where an armed mob vandalized and burned several houses belonging to the Kuki tribe before viciously attacking members of the community. The mob then subjected two young women, aged 21 and 19, to sexual assault and paraded them naked.
The incident was reported by the victims back in May when the state was already grappling with ethnic clashes. The clashes were triggered by a court order that mandated the government to consider extending special benefits, typically enjoyed by the tribal Kuki people, to the majority Meitei population as well. Unfortunately, the situation escalated, resulting in at least 125 fatalities and over 40,000 people being displaced from their homes.
In response to the incident, rights groups planned protests in various parts of India, demanding justice and swift investigations into the sexual assault case, which has raised serious concerns about women’s safety in the country. Demonstrators across the nation expressed frustration over the authorities’ apparent failure to take immediate action despite knowing about the rapes and public humiliation of the victims in Manipur.
The rallies and marches held in different cities, including Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Bhubaneswar, highlighted the urgency for justice and accountability for the perpetrators. Protesters expressed their solidarity with the victims and condemned the authorities’ inaction in investigating the case registered by the minority tribal community back in May.
Prime Minister Modi’s statement came after the disturbing videos of the assault went viral, and he faced criticism for not addressing the incident sooner, especially as the state of Manipur is governed by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
