Manipur cops arrest fifth accused in women disrobing case

Guwahati: Amid growing protests against the sexual assault of two women in Manipur, the police arrested the fifth accused and intensified efforts to apprehend the 11 others identified in a viral video who are still at large.

Four arrested men were remanded in 11-day police custody, and in connection with the case, angry locals set fire to the house of another suspect, marking the second incident of its kind.

The situation escalated further as fresh violence erupted in Imphal when women protesters blocked a main road in the Ghari area. The police took action against the protesters as they burned tires during the agitation. Security forces, including Manipur armed police, Army, and rapid action battalion, doused the fire and conducted a flag march in various areas to control the situation.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma raised questions about the timing of the release of the viral video, which surfaced just before the start of Parliament's Monsoon Session. He suggested that politics might be involved in the leak. Sarma also claimed that incidents of rape are comparatively less frequent in the Northeast, particularly in Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh.

On social media, Sarma shared news reports of recent sexual violence cases against women in other states, from Rajasthan to West Bengal, highlighting what he perceived as a disparity in the outrage and attention given to different regions. He called the incident in Manipur horrendous and assured that the perpetrators would face the full force of the law. However, he criticised the selective outrage exhibited by some individuals, suggesting that brutal crimes elsewhere were being ignored by so-called liberals.