GUWAHATI: Two Kuki-Zo women were allegedly paraded naked and gang-raped on May 4, a day after the ethnic violence in Manipur broke out.
The incident involving the two women came to light on Wednesday after a video of it purportedly went viral on social media. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) condemned it and called it a “sickening” act.
“Two-and-a-half months into the ethnic conflict in Manipur, evidence of atrocities committed against Kuki-Zo tribals continue to surface. A video which went viral today shows a large Meitei mob parading two Kuki-Zo tribal women naked toward a paddy field to be gang-raped,” the ITLF alleged.
The tribal organisation said the incident occurred at B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district on May 4.
“The gang rape of the women happened after the village was burnt down and two men – one middle-aged and another a teenager – were beaten to death by the mob,” the ITLF said.
“The ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators’ decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media,” the organisation said.
It demanded that the Centre, Manipur government, National Commission for Women and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes take cognisance of the offence and initiate necessary measures against the culprits.
Meanwhile, a Trinamool Congress team visited Manipur on Wednesday to meet people affected by the violence.
In the Imphal valley, large groups of women hit the streets on Wednesday defying the curfew to stage protests responding to the “Mothers' Protest” call by Khwairamband Ima Keithel Joint Coordinating Committee for Peace.
The programme was organised reiterating the demands for the implementation of NRC, immediate convening of the Assembly session, maintaining the state’s territorial integrity and objecting to a separate administration, as demanded by the Kukis.
At least 142 people were killed while over 50,000 others were displaced in the Manipur violence.