Seventh Arrest In Manipur Viral Video Case, One Of The Accused Is Minor

According to the police, a seventh individual has been arrested in connection with a disturbing video that emerged online, showing a mob parading two women naked in Manipur. The recent arrest was made in Thoubal district on Monday (24 July).

The video has sparked widespread condemnation from various groups. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) has alleged that the two women were gang-raped in a field, stating that the incident occurred on 4 May in Kangpokpi district, approximately 35 kilometers from the state capital, Imphal.

However, the police maintain that the incident happened in a different district, despite the First Information Report (FIR) being filed in Kangpokpi.

The initial arrest took place on Thursday shortly after the 26-second video surfaced online. Three more arrests followed on the same day. The fifth person taken into custody on Saturday is a 19-year-old, while the sixth individual arrested is a minor, as reported by the police.

This horrific incident unfolded following clashes between the Meitei and Kuki tribes in Manipur. The unrest arose due to the Meitei tribe's demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. Unfortunately, the ongoing violence in the state has resulted in over 120 fatalities and displaced thousands of people.

The situation in Manipur has had a significant impact on the proceedings of the monsoon session in the parliament. In response, a group of opposition MPs are staging a sit-in protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Parliament House.

They are demanding an unrestricted debate on the ethnic clashes in the state. Opposition leaders insist on an open and comprehensive discussion on the Manipur issue without any time constraints.

The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, emphasized the importance of the Prime Minister making a statement on the matter in the parliament.

However, the BJP responded by accusing the opposition of avoiding the debate on Manipur and criticizing their "deafening silence" on violence against women in other states.