Womenfolk come out strongly against CCpur gangrape on day of Tribal Solidarity March
Why is PM mum now poser raised; protest lined up today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 10 2023: Meira Paibis have vehemently condemned the "gangrape" of a Meitei woman by Kuki men on the day of the "Tribal Solidarity March" on May 3 at Churachandpur district and called for mass sit-in protests across all districts tomorrow.

Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba, Manipur and All Manipur Women Voluntary Association said the heinous crime against the woman is strongly condemned and all sections of the Manipur society should raise their voice against such heinous crimes.

The protest demonstrations, demanding arrest of all culprits and stringent punishment, will start from 11 am till 3 pm in all localities, the women's organisations said.

Womenfolk come out strongly against CCpur gangrape on day of Tribal Solidarity March

This condemnation from the Meira Paibi came after a 37-year-old Meitei woman filed a Zero FIR with the Bishnupur women police station yesterday.

The Bishnupur women police station has forwarded the Zero FIR to Churachandpur police.

What is Zero FIR? Unlike an FIR, which is restricted by jurisdiction and assigned a serial number, a Zero FIR can be filed in any police station and assigned the number '0' .

After a police station registers a Zero FIR, it has to transfer the complaint to a police station that has the jurisdiction to investigate the alleged offence and is given a serial number, thereby converting it into a regular FIR.

It may be noted here that many cases of crimes including sexual assault/gangrape against women have surfaced amid the current tension between the Kukis and the Meiteis since May 3 .

According to the Zero FIR registered with the Bishnupur women police station, the woman was gangraped by Kuki men at Churachandpur on the day of the Tribal Solidarity March on May 3, the day the violent conflict started.

While a viral video of two Kuki women paraded nude on May 4 had made headlines putting the entire Nation and Manipur to shame, this FIR of the incident on May 3 has again put Manipur on the spotlight for the wrong reason.

Notably, this gruesome incident against the Meitei woman took place a day before two Kuki women were paraded nude in Kangpokpi by miscreants.

According to sources, at least two Zero FIRs have been filed from the Meitei community amid the current tension.

Meanwhile, at a press meet held at Khuyathong, Imphal today, members of Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba, Manipur and All Manipur Women Voluntary Association said the May 3 case should be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) .

All Manipur Women Voluntary Association president Y Kunjarani said every woman should condemn the heinous crime committed against the woman and the Government should take appropriate actions to give justice to the victim.

She said the Government of India and State Government should act impartially and see beyond ethnicity in dealing with such crimes.

All Kuki miscreants involved in the commission of the crime must be arrested and punished, she said.

She then urged all sections of the society to hold protest demonstrations at their localities against the crime.

Poirei Leimarol Meira Paibi Apunba, Manipur president Longjam Memchoubi said since May 3, unspeakable crimes have been committed against Meitei women, men and children by the armed Kuki volunteers, Kuki militants and infiltrators.

The armed Kuki volunteers and their militants have even killed Meitei men who were sleeping at their own home in Bishnupur recently.

The Government of India and the State Government must control and disarm the Kuki militants to stop the violence, she said.

While demanding the case to be transferred to the CBI from Churachandpur police, she said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be selective when condemning crimes against women.

While the PM has condemned the crime against Kuki women, he has not spoken a word on the gangrape case of the Meitei woman, she said and asked why the silence now.