Manipur: Freedom fighter's wife reportedly burnt alive by armed mob
As the ethnic violence continues to wreak havoc across Manipur, another horrifying story has come to light where the wife of a freedom fighter was reportedly burnt alive in the northeastern state's Kakching district. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 28 in the district's Serou village when gunfire exchange and massive violence were witnessed in the area, reported news outlet NDTV.
All you need to know about May 28 event
As per a case filed at the Serou Police Station, the 80-year-old woman, identified as Ibetombi, was locked inside her residence and set on fire by an armed mob on May 28. The victim's freedom fighter husband, S Churachand Singh, reportedly died earlier at the age of 80 and was even honored by former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam for his contributions.
Victim's grandson provides details on attack
Premkanta, the victim's grandson, provided details on the horrifying attack and told NDTV that Ibetombi was inside their house, which was reportedly locked by armed assailants from outside who attacked the Serou village. The house was set on fire that destroyed the whole building by the time her family, which had fled the area earlier, could return to save her, per the 22-year-old.
Victim's grandson reveals her last words
Premkanta also revealed his grandmother's last words on the night of the attack. "When we came under attack, my grandmother told us to run now and return for her after some time. 'Come back to get me,' she said as we left," Ibetombi's grandson said. "Those were her last words, unfortunately," NDTV quoted him as saying.
Video of women paraded naked in Manipur triggered outrage
This incident surfaced after a video from Manipur emerged online on Wednesday where a group of men reportedly groped and paraded two naked women. Reports claimed the two victims were gang-raped later as well. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) claimed that the incident occurred on May 4 in the Kangpokpi district and it has sparked nationwide outrage among the public, celebrities, and politicians.
Know about ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur
Over 150 people have so far been killed in the ethnic Manipur violence after a May 3 agitation over the Meitei community's Scheduled Tribe (ST) status demands. Meiteis (53% of Manipur's population) have flagged difficulties over the restrictions on settling in hill areas and large-scale Myanmarese and Bangladeshi illegal immigrants. But tribal Nagas and Kukis (40% of the population) are concerned about their prospects.
