As many as four accused have been arrested in the case of the viral video where two women were seen paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a violent mob in violence-hit Manipur, and the government has assured full support for capital punishment of the culprits.
Terming the act against the two women in the viral video as “crime against humanity” and condemning the horrifying crime in the strongest term on behalf of all the legislatures, Biren maintained that the state government would not remain silent on the heinous crime.
The chief minister was speaking to the media Thursday evening at his office premises.
Biren said that as per the FIR registered, the incident occurred on May 4 during the initial period of the ongoing crisis. He said that immediately after seeing the video, he had directed the Cyber Crime Department to check its authenticity and instructed to conduct a mass combing operation at the suspected areas to nab the culprits.
He continued that an FIR was filed at Saikul Police Station regarding the matter on May 18 and later transferred to Nongpok Sekmai Police Station on June 21. As there were many cases filed on different incidents that happened in the state and while the government was trying to identify the particular case, the video on the incident suddenly surfaced, he added.
After the FIR was registered, investigation began in order to find out the authenticity of the case. As the viral video was encountered, the state police started taking immediate action and booked two accused in connection with the crime, the CM said. He said one suspected main accused was arrested on Wednesday and another was arrested on Thursday after a mass combing operation in the Nongpok Sekmai area where the crime occurred.
Later in the evening, a release from the Manipur Police Control Room informed that a total of four suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the case.
In an effort to book all culprits who were involved during the incident, more security forces including central forces have been deployed in the area.
The state government also expressed condemnation of the incident of Lucy Maring and another that was killed in a mob violence near Sishu Nistha Neketan, the CM added.
He further said Manipur is a part of India and as per law of the land, illegal armed militants that are involved in the crisis will be tackled cautiously. He appealed to the people not to block central forces while coming to perform their duties and to deal with the issue legally.
Mentioning that outside elements are involved in causing the prevailing unrest in the State, he stated that the Government is acting against them and further appealed to the public not to obstruct the action of the Government.
Maintaining that different communities had been living together like brothers for a long time, he expressed that the government is not against anyone, but only taking action against those elements who are instigating disturbance to the peaceful coexistence.
He repeated that “legislature of Manipur strongly condemned the heinous crime and all the culprits will be arrested as per law of the land”. The chief minister further appealed to stop committing crime against women and children.
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