In a shocking incident that has triggered nationwide outrage, two Manipuri women from the Kuki tribe were seen being paraded naked and molested in a video that went viral on social media. The Central government has now ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the incident, according to an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court.
The Central government has expressed its zero tolerance towards crimes against women and has assured that this heinous offence will be taken seriously. The government stated in the affidavit;
“This is one of the reasons why the Central government with the consent of the State government has taken the decision to entrust the investigation to an independent investigating agency i.e. CBI,”
Furthermore, the government has requested the Supreme Court to pass directions to transfer the probe to a state other than Manipur, asserting that the trial must take place outside the state. The government has assured that the investigation will be completed at the earliest and the trial will be held in a time-bound manner.
The affidavit was filed in response to a suo motu case registered by the apex court after the video of the horrific incident went viral on social media. The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra had, on July 20, sought the responses of the Central and State governments on the steps taken to book the perpetrators.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in its affidavit, also revealed that at least seven accused have been arrested in connection with the incident and are currently in police custody. They have been booked for various offences including rape and murder.
The current clashes and violence in Manipur have stemmed from the opposition of certain tribes to the demand by the majority Meitei community to grant them Scheduled Tribes status. The horrific video of two women being paraded naked and molested had gone viral on social media, showing the two women being paraded naked by a mob of men and molested as they move towards a paddy field. The incident reportedly happened on May 4, and the women were gang-raped by the mob.
This incident underscores the urgent need for stringent measures to protect women’s rights and safety, and the government’s commitment to ensuring justice for the victims.