Shah enquires, Biren mulls capital punishment
Source: Chronicle News Service

New Delhi/Imphal, July 20 2023: Even as Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke the chief minister N Biren Singh and enquired about the incident of two women paraded naked in Thoubal district and asked him to take stringent action against the perpetrators, the chiefminister said the government of Manipur will consider capital punishment to all the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

During their phone conversation on Thursday morning, Biren informed Shan about actions being initiated, since the video of the horrific incident went viral on social media the previous day, the sources added.

The Union Home Minister then directed the Chief Minister to take stringent action against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, CM Biren has stated that the government is "considering the possibility of capital punishment" for those involved in parading two Kuki women naked.

He said: "A thorough investigation is currently underway and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment" .

It may be mentioned here that a disturbing video surfaced on social media showing two Kuki women being paraded naked on a road by a group of Meitei men.

The distressing video shows a mob of men molesting the two helpless Kuki women as they are forcibly taken toward a paddy field.

Throughout the ordeal, the victims can be heard crying out for help.

Reacting to the video, Biren said: "My hearts go out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday.

" After taking a suo-moto cognisance of the incident immediate- ly after the video surfaced, the Manipur police swung to action and made the first arrest this morning, he informed, adding: "Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society" .

Meanwhile, the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) fstated that the incident took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district- 35 km from the state capital Imphal.

According to the ITLF, the two women were also gang raped in a paddy field after being paraded naked.

In a strongly-worded statement, the Forum said that since May 3, evidence of atrocities committed against the Kuki-Zo tribals continue to surface.

"A video which went viral on Wednesday shows a large Meitei mob parading two Kuki-Zo tribal women naked toward a paddy field to be gang raped.

The despicable scene, which happened on May 4, shows the men constantly molesting the helpless women, who cry and plead with their captors, " ITLF spokesman Ginza Vualzong said in the statement.

The spokesman added that the gang rape occurred within the limits of the B Phainom village which was burnt down.

He also claimed that a middle-aged and a teenager were brutally beaten to death by the mob in the same village.

The ITLF further said that "the horrifying ordeal suffered by the two innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators' decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims, on social media" .

"The ITLF vehemently condemns the sickening act and demands that the Central and state governments, the National Commission for Women, and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes to take cognisance of the offense and take all necessary measures to bring justice to the culprits, " the statement added.

CM Biren also strongly condemned the unfortunate and horrific incident that happened on May 4, which came to light only after a video went viral in social media.

Briefing the media at his Sec-retariat office-after a meeting with the ministers and MLAs of the ruling party on Thursday evening, Biren explained that an FIR was filed at Saikul Police Station on May 18 and later, transferred to Nongpok Sekmai Police Station on June 21.As there were many cases filed on different violent incidents that happened in various places of the state from May, 3, and while the government was trying to identify the particular case, the video on the incident suddenly came to surface on Wednesday, Expressing strong condemnation against the inhuman act on two women, the CM labelled it as a crime against humanity and maintained that the state government would not remain silent on this heinous crime.

He informed that immediately after seeing the video, he had directed the Cyber Crime Department to check its authenticity and further instructed to conduct a mass search operation at the suspected areas to nab the culprits.

Biren also informed that a person suspected to be the prime accuse of the heinous crime has been arrested and operation is on to nab and book all involved in the crime as per the law.

The state government would make its best efforts to get the culprits with maximum punishment like capital punishment, he added.

The killing of a Kuki woman in Kwakeithel and that of Lucy Maring recently have been condemned by the government and the people and should be condemned for it is inexcusable to harm women or children during any conflict.

Thus, there is a need to create awareness among people on such heinous crimes and to ensure that such horrific incidents against women and children do not happen in future, he stressed.

"Disintegration of Manipur is disintegration of India," the CM said, while appealing to the public not to cause disturbance in the movement of security forces as they are here to act against the elements, who are threatening the integrity of our nation.

Mentioning that outside elements are involved in causing the prevailing unrest in the state, Biren stated that the government is acting against them and further appealed to the public not to obstruct the action of the government.

He maintained that different communities have been living together like brothers for a long time, and expressed that the government is not against anyone but only taking action against those elements who are instigating disturbance to the peaceful co-existence.

The press briefing was also attended by ministers and MLAs among others.

(With inputs from IANS) .

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