Manipur: 4 accused remanded in police custody; another suspect's house torched

All the four accused, who were allegedly part of a mob that disrobed and paraded two women in Manipur on May 4, were remanded to 11-day police custody on Friday, police said.

The arrests were made on Thursday, a day after the 26-second video surfaced on July 19. Meanwhile, the house of another suspect, who is yet to be arrested, was vandalised and torched by angry locals on Friday afternoon, police said. According to police, the suspect’s house was located at Wangjing in Thoubal district. The suspect is yet to be arrested. He possibly fled home after coming to know that police were looking for him, an official said.

Watch | Media has failed to unearth the realities of Manipur, says N Ram | Capital Beat

The house of the key accused in the case was torched on Thursday, hours after he was arrested by police. According to police, he was seen prominently directing the mob at B. Phainom village of Kangpokpi district in the video. One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an ex-army man who had served in the Indian Army as a Subedar of the Assam Regiment and even fought in the Kargil War.

It may be recalled, that the complaint in connection with the viral video was lodged around a month ago at Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district. The FIR filed in this case revealed the tale of mayhem which occurred before the abduction and shameful behaviour with tribal women, a video of which has now formed the basis of raids and arrests of people connected with the incident.

The FIR claimed that one person was killed by the mob as he tried to protect his sister from being raped on May 4 before the two were paraded naked and molested in front of others.

Also read: Manipur issue: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till July 24 amid uproar

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

(With agency inputs)