Manipur women naked video: Main culprit arrested, say police
The main accused of the incident—where two women were paraded naked in Manipur's Kangpokpi—was arrested from the Thoubal district on Thursday, reported India Today, quoting police officials. According to the report, the culprit has been identified as 32-year-old Heradas. He was wearing a green T-shirt in the clip. The police said they are trying to nab all other miscreants.
Why does this story matter?
A shocking video emerged on social media on Wednesday, which showed a group of men groping and parading two naked women, who were allegedly gang-raped as well. According to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), the incident took place in Kangpokpi district, around 35km away from Imphal, on May 4. The clip triggered massive outrage among the public, politicians, and celebrities.
CM promises capital punishment for culprits
Following the chilling footage, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said his government was considering "capital punishment" for the perpetrators. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also broke his silence on the ongoing violence and said no accused involved in the incident would be spared. His remarks came as the first sitting of the monsoon session of Parliament was scheduled for Thursday.
CM informs about arrest on Twitter
SC, NCW take cognizance of matter
Reacting to the incident, the Supreme Court directed the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate action and said it will act if there was no improvement in the ground situation. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma told ANI, "By evening, more culprits are likely to be arrested...Many such incidents are coming to light from Rajasthan and Manipur."
Centre asks Twitter to remove footage
The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government at the Centre also asked Twitter and other social media platforms to remove the footage as the matter was under investigation, reported ANI, citing sources. This came hours after the ITLF stated, "The horrifying ordeal suffered by these innocent women is amplified by the perpetrators' decision to share the video, which shows the identity of the victims."
Opposition slams BJP government over incident
Several opposition parties, including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Trinamool Congress (TMC), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) condemned the incident and slammed Modi and Singh for it. Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Humanity has died in Manipur," while TMC MP Mahua Moitra called Modi "maun guru" and asked him to take the right action "for once."
Must hang our heads in shame: Kapil Sibal
Clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3
The ethnic violence in Manipur, which has killed over 150 people, began after a march was organized on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for 53% of the state's population, while tribals—Nagas and Kukis—constitute another 40%. The tribal people are concerned that granting the Meiteis ST status will limit their benefits and prospects.
