Former Kargil War Veteran Heartbroken as Wife Among Manipuri Women Paraded Naked
In the wake of a deeply disturbing video capturing the naked and molested parade of two Manipuri women, the husband of one of the victims, a retired Subedar of the Assam Regiment, has expressed profound anguish about the state of affairs.
The shocking incident, which has sparked widespread condemnation across the nation, came to light when a video filmed on May 4th emerged on Wednesday night. The husband, who had dedicated his life to serving in the Indian Army, including in the Kargil War and the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, lamented, “I fought for the nation, but am dejected that after my retirement, I could not protect my home, my wife, and fellow villagers… I am sad, depressed,” during an interview with a Hindi news channel.
According to him, on the tragic morning of May 4th, a mob set fire to several houses in the locality, forcibly disrobed the two women, and compelled them to walk on village paths in front of onlookers. Disturbingly, despite the presence of police, no action was taken to prevent this horrendous act. He called for exemplary punishment for all those responsible for burning down the houses and subjecting the women to humiliation.
Meanwhile, one of the victims seen in the video recounted her harrowing experience to a news portal. She revealed that the men in the mob ordered her to lie down in a field. “Three men surrounded me… One of them told the other, ‘let’s rape her,’ but… they didn’t,” she said, adding that she considered herself “lucky” they didn’t go through with the rape, though they did assault her by grabbing her breasts.
In connection with the case, four people have been arrested on Thursday, just one day after the video surfaced. The Manipur Police assured the public that they are making every effort to apprehend the remaining culprits as swiftly as possible.
The incident took place amidst ongoing ethnic violence in the state, which has resulted in more than 160 fatalities and numerous injuries since May 3rd, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The Meitei community constitutes about 53% of Manipur’s population and primarily resides in the Imphal Valley, while the tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, make up 40% of the population and mainly inhabit the hill districts. The situation remains tense as the authorities strive to bring justice to the victims and prevent further escalations in the region.
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