New Delhi, 29 July, 2023 – The horrible sexual assault case involving three Kuki women in Manipur has been handed over to the Central Bureau of probe (CBI), which is now in charge of the probe. The event took place on May 4 and involved the victims being stripped, paraded naked, and subjected to vicious mob violence. One of the women was also subjected to gang rape.The CBI assumed control of the investigation on Friday and immediately re-registered the first information report (FIR) initially filed by the Manipur police.
Nearly three months after the occurrence, on July 19, a viral video documenting the horrifying and upsetting series of events appeared, bringing the horrible act to the nation’s attention. The three women were assaulted in the video, which caused outrage across the nation.
To date, the Manipur police have arrested seven people in connection with the sexual assault case, some of whom were identified from the viral video. However, the authorities continue their search for others involved in the gruesome crime.
In addition to the investigation into this specific incident, the CBI’s special investigation team (SIT) is also looking into six other cases related to the ongoing violence in Manipur and the looting of weapons from state armories.
Since May 3, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes primarily between the Kuki and Meitei communities. These clashes have resulted in a death toll of at least 142 people and have displaced over 50,000 people so far.
The CBI’s intervention in the sexual assault case is expected to bring fresh hope for justice to the victims and their families, as the nation grapples with the urgent need to address crimes against women and the escalating violence in Manipur.
