The man’s wife, along with two other Kuki-Zomi women, were targeted by a mob on the state’s second day of violence, but a video documenting the brazen sexual assault did not surface until July 19, causing national indignation and resonance in Parliament.
imagecredit: the shillong time
According to the 65-year-old Kargil war veteran, whose wife was stripped and paraded by a mob during the May 4 riots in Manipur, “God must have made the video (of the sexual assault) go viral to ensure that the truth comes out.”
The man’s wife, along with two other Kuki-Zomi women, were targeted by a mob on the state’s second day of violence, but a video documenting the brazen sexual assault did not surface until July 19, causing national indignation and resonance in Parliament.
“Until then, no one from the police or government had even called us,” the guy, whose complaint resulted in a zero FIR being filed on May 18 at Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district, told The Indian Express.
Sukrita Baruah, Amrita Nayak Dutta Imphal | Last updated: August 3, 2023 05:27 IST
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Members of the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum march in Churachandpur during a protest rally. (Photo/File: PTI)
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According to the 65-year-old Kargil war veteran, whose wife was stripped and paraded by a mob during the May 4 riots in Manipur, “God must have made the video (of the sexual assault) go viral to ensure that the truth comes out.”
The man’s wife, along with two other Kuki-Zomi women, were attacked by a crowd on the state’s second day of violence, but a video of the brazen sexual assault was not released until the next day.
He has participated in various crucial operations both inside and beyond the country, including Op Rakshak (a counter-terrorism operation in J&K), Op Rhino (across Assam, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir), and Op Pawan (as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force) in Sri Lanka.
He has received numerous decorations, including the Sainya Seva Medal, the Op Vijay Medal, the Videsh Seva Medal, and a Special Service Medal.
A former Army commander who served in the battalion remembered him as an excellent football player and a nice guy. Lt Col Kaushik Sircar (Retd) remembered him as a relatively new entry to the unit while it was in Sri Lanka, but a hardened soldier when he served with him during Operation Vijay in Tangdhar.
The 65-year-old said he has been receiving calls from cops in his unit as well as the ex-servicemen’s group since the event.
The lives of the ladies and their families have been turned upside down since the video went viral almost two weeks ago. Two of the victims and their families were living in relief shelters in Churachandpur before the video aired, but once it did, tribal officials transported them to a “safe zone” that even their immediate family is unaware of.
One of the victims, a 21-year-old woman, had fled Churachandpur and was staying with her husband in Kangpokpi district. However, after seeing the footage, tribal officials relocated her to a “safe zone.” According to sources, she left her husband’s home on July 20 and arrived in Churachandpur two days later after changing at least four vehicles.
Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey and National Commission for Women chairwoman Rekha Sharma have met with the victims since July 19. Last week, a police crew recorded their comments.
Secretary of Home Affairs Ajay Bhalla stated in an affidavit presented to the Supreme Court last week that “victims could not be approached by state authorities physically or telephonically until date due to resistance from civil society organisations in Churachandpur.”
With tension between the state government and the Kuki-Zomi community, tribal leaders said access to the three women is being “filtered”.
On the day of the sexual assault, the 21-year-old’s father and younger brother had also been killed by the mob. Her mother, still reeling from the loss of both her husband and son, told The Indian Express: “As a mother, I am trying to stay strong so that my daughter will be well and sound. I am heartbroken and the truth is that I have been crying most of the time. There has been a lot of attention and a lot of people coming in the last two weeks. But one thing is that I’m not scared; we have been placed under a lot of protection.”
“It’s hard to imagine how it will ever be possible for the two communities to coexist after all that has happened,” she said.