NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated process to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over probe into the video of two tribal women from Kuki-Zo community paraded naked and brutally assaulted by a mob belonging to Meitei community in Manipur.
The video, which went viral, had caused widespread outrage that the opposition has moved no-confidence motion against the goverenment as a way of forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the issue.
The ministry has initiated the process of issuing a specific directive to the CBI, country’s premiere investigation agency to probe the matter in detail, which allegedly happened on May 4, sources said.
In the 30 second clip that surfaced last week and sparked a nationwide outcry, two Kuki women could be seen being paraded after being stripped and were reportedly subjected to brutal sexual assault.
The incident has even affected the functioning of the Parliament Session, which opened on July 20 and was marred by political disruptions. The Opposition leaders have also moved a no-confidence motion against the government seeking a discussion on the issue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opening day of the Parliament also spoke outside Parliament and said he was pained and angry by the video - following which the opposition sought his statement in the House.
Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Manipur has assured that all major cases relating to the strife-torn state would be probed by the central investigating agency.
Soon after Shah's return to Delhi the CBI had formed a 10-member special team headed by a DIG-rank officer to probe into the initial six cases related to the Manipur violence to investigate whether the cases were pre-planned or were just spontaneous.
The cases were referred to it by the state government on the directions of the Ministry of Home affairs. The six cases comprising five incidents of alleged criminal conspiracy and one on general conspiracy behind the violence in Manipur was reregistered by the CBI after being referred to it by the state government.
Violence broke out in Manipur after a “Solidarity March” was organised by the tribals in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Sporadic incidents of violence still continue in the state with tribal communities trading allegations against each other. So far, nearly 150 people have lost their lives, and thousands have been rendered homeless since the ethnic violence broke out nearly three months back.