Manipur violence: Another sexual assault case to the fore; 37-year-old married woman files 'zero FIR'
Manipur ethnic clashes: Another disturbing case of sexual assault during the ethnic clashes in Manipur in early May has surfaced. The survivor, who has been residing in a relief camp, has now filed a zero FIR.
In this recent incident, a 37-year-old married woman from Churachandpur district in Manipur has alleged that, on May 3, the day violence erupted in the district following a rally by the hill-majority Kukis in response to the valley-majority Meiteis' demand for inclusion under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category, she was apprehended by a group of men. The incident took place when she was attempting to escape from her burning home with her two sons, niece, and sister-in-law. The woman alleged that she was gang-raped.
Overcoming her fears, the survivor decided to approach the police after witnessing accounts of other women sharing their traumatic experiences. In her statement attached to the 'zero FIR' submitted to the Bishnupur police station on Wednesday, she explained the reasons for the delay in reporting the incident, citing concerns for her family's honour, dignity, and the avoidance of social isolation. She expressed that she even contemplated ending her own life.
The survivor is currently residing in a relief camp established for internally displaced individuals. The case has been officially registered under Sections 376D, 354, 120B, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
As outlined in the initial information report (FIR), the distressing incident surfaced at around 6:30 pm on May 3. Unidentified people started setting afire the woman and her neighbour's house. She, accompanied by her two sons, niece, and sister-in-law, fled as swiftly as possible.
"I had my niece on my back, and I was also holding onto my two sons as I began to run away from the area along with my sister-in-law. She was also carrying an infant on her back and was ahead of me. However, I stumbled and fell onto the road, unable to stand up... My sister-in-law hurried back to where I was, took my niece from my back, and continued to run with my two sons as I insisted," alleged the woman in the 'zero FIR' lodged in Bishnupur, 35 km away from her now-devastated residence in Churachandpur.
She further alleged that a group of around five to six miscreants apprehended her. They started physically assault her. "Despite my efforts to resist, I was overpowered and held down against my will. Subsequently, these men sexually assaulted me..." recounted the woman in her statement.
Earlier, a distressing video of two Manipur women being paraded naked had gone viral, which has triggered national protests and raised concerns over the deteriorating condition in Manipur.
- With inputs from agencies
