Controversial deaths of 55 women recorded in 9 months
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 22 2014: As per data collected by the United NGOs Mission Manipur, Women Committee, the lives of 55 women were cut short under dubious circumstances this year alone (from January-September 21) including 21 women who were brutally murdered.

United NGOs Mission Manipur, Women Committee convenor, Sobita Mangshatabam, in a press conference held at Manipur Press club today, said in the last 9 months about 55 women have either committed suicide, fell victim to bomb blast or croaked in child birth while 21 other have been either stabbed or shot to death according to their data which were gathered based on newspaper reports from January this year to September 21 .

Out of these cases, she added, the nature of 15 cases could not be ascertained.

Not clear whether they were natural death or otherwise, she said and added that out of 11 such cases, 10 women were found dead at their husbands' houses.

Four out of these ten cases were expecting mothers.

Of the 55 women whose lives were cut short, 13 committed suicide, two died in child delivery, another two in bomb explosions and one at a hospital owing to alleged negligence of attending doctors.

The data also bore evidence to the growing rate of crime against women in the State.

There have been 21 rape cases in total in the last nine months.

Eleven out of these rape victims were children between 11-18 years of age, eight between 1-9 years of age and the remaining were young women above 20 years of age.

Newspapers reports an estimate of 67 women losing their lives in 2014 (from January-September 21).13 cases of molestation, 9 cyber crime victims, 6 cases of trafficking, one attempted suicide, 9 sexual harassment, 5 murder attempts and as much as 58 cases of assault so far, she said giving figures.

Out of all these cases of crime against women, only two cases so far have been solved by the Government and that too in the year 2012 .

Sobita also condemned the killing of one Sherphyliu Gangmei, 42, at Longmai Part II by some revolutionary organisation.

She requested all such organisations to abide the Optional protocol III of the International Humanitarian law, to sign the Geneva Deed of Agreement and to safeguard the lives of women and children.

Bringing in the recent blast at Ukhrul that took away two lives, both women, Sobita asserted that it would be wiser to weed out all the security forces deployed in the State as they have failed to safeguard the lives of innocent civilians, women and children.

She has further, in this connection, demanded immediate resignation of the 60 MLAs of the State.

Sobita also called for participation of the general public to check the growing rate of crime against women.

Speaking at the occasion, Women's Committee, Imphal West co-convenor Jibanmala said the growing rate of crime in the State cannot be confronted by selected persons alone.

All the people of the State need to join to solve the issue.

The press meet was attended by United NGOs Mission Manipur Women's Committee co-convenor and its members.

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