Amongst the 11 cases in connection with widespread communal tension that has kept the northeastern state of Manipur embroiled in ethnic violence since May 3, that have been transferred from state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), three are reportedly of gangrapes, while in a separate case, a CRPF assistant commandant is accused of publicly kicking the private parts of a 56-year-old woman.
As per media reports, as communal tension continued to escalate in the state, the two warring communities - the Kukis and Meiteis- have led to filing of 6,523 FIRs at various police stations across the state till July 25.
About the rape cases
According to the officials, in two of the alleged gangrape cases, the accused are yet to be identified while in the third case, seven persons, including a juvenile, have been apprehended
The case involving the CRPF personnel, who has not been arrested yet, gives details of the May 12 assault on the 56-year-old woman at Singjamei in Imphal West.
As per the FIR registered, the officer “was wearing full uniform and guarded by his personnel guards”, when he slapped, punched and kicked the woman in her private parts while she was sitting in front of her shop-cum-house on Tiddim road. “Beside this, one of his guards pointed his service gun at her. As a result of which she received injury on her body and was evacuated to RIMS Hospital for medical treatment by the members of her local club.”
The other cases of Kidnapping, Molestation and Rioting
The other cases incluse seceral instances of kidnapping, molestation, murder and rioting.
On May 3, when the violence erupted for the first time, an armed mob of the Meitei community led by Meitei Leepun and Arambai Tenggol, knocked on doors chanting anti-tribal slogans and outraged the modesty of a tribal women with an intent to kill.
As per media reports, in a separate incident, father of the minor girl filed a complaint that she did not return home from her coaching centre at the usual time. After primary investigation, it was revealed that she left the coaching centre along with a 17-year-old boy on a motorbike. Next day, when her mother made a call on her mobile, the daughter responded but suddenly stopped. The mother allegedly heard a few words which were not in Meitei/ Manipuri language but seemed to be a tribal dialect.
In another case, a woman was pulled out of her nursing institute hostel allegedly by Meitei miscreants on May 4 and was dragged by her hair, abused, tortured, beaten and left to die on the road.
After a person was hit by a bullet and was evacuated to Asian Hospital for treatment from Moirang area, a riotous mob numbering around 100 people gathered and became tense and violent after the person’s death. The mob has reportedly assaulted four tribal women.
A woman and her son travelling in a car along with other family members were dragged out by Meitei miscreants on May 4 and hacked to death. The mob also attacked another mob and left her on the street, assuming that she was assumed dead. This woman is currently now undergoing treatment in a hospital in Nagaland.
A mob of about 400-500 people detained two unknown women on the allegation that they were informers of Kuki militants. The mob tried to kill the two women but were rescued by police.
