GUWAHATI: Days after a strip-parade video from Manipur went viral, a 37-year-old married woman in the state has filed a “zero FIR” with the police, alleging she was gang-raped by “Kuki miscreants” in the hill district of Churachandpur on May 3, the day the ethnic violence broke out.
The FIR was lodged with the Women's Police Station, Bishnupur on August 9.
The police registered a case under IPC sections 376D (gang rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). However, as the alleged crime was committed in Churachandpur, the case was transferred to Women Police Station, Churachandpur for investigation. A zero FIR can be filed at any police station.
According to the woman’s complaint, the incident occurred around 6:30 pm on that fateful day when the Kuki miscreants started burning down her house and the houses of her neighbours.
“I carried my niece on my back and also held my two sons and started running from the spot along with my sister-in-law. She was also carrying a baby on her back and running ahead of me. Then, I stumbled and fell down on the road and (was) unable to get up…My sister-in-law came back running towards me and picked up my niece from my back and ran along with my two sons as I Insisted,” the woman wrote in her complaint.
“Subsequently, when I finally managed to get up, some 5/6 Kuki miscreants got (caught) hold of me and started verbally abusing and assaulting me. Despite my resistance, I was forcefully pinned down. After this, the men started sexually assaulting me….” the woman alleged.
She said she cried for help but nobody came forward and soon, some more “Kuki miscreants” joined the other miscreants. She said she lost consciousness at that point.
“Later, when I regained my consciousness, I found myself in a house surrounded by some Meitei people,” she said.
“I did not disclose the incident to save myself and my family’s honour, dignity and to save ourselves from social ostracism. The delay in filing this complaint is due to social stigma,” the woman said.
She said she was so depressed and annoyed that she wanted to end her life. She said she had visited the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal but as she could not express herself, she returned without seeing a doctor.
The woman said she visited the hospital again on August 8. She demanded “adequate” punishment for the culprits.
The strip-parade video went viral on social media last month. Manipur police arrested nine persons in connection with the incident.