Manipur, August 10: Another disturbing case of sexual assault has emerged from the ethnic clashes that engulfed Manipur in early May. A survivor, sheltered in a relief camp, has come forward to file a police report, adding to the grim accounts of brutality faced by women during the turmoil. The survivor, a 37-year-old married woman from Churachandpur district, revealed she was gang-raped on May 3, the day violence erupted after a rally by Kukis over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes inclusion.

The survivor's account unveils a sequence of events as she fled her burning home with her family. Amidst the chaos, she was held by a group of men who subjected her to a brutal sexual assault. The survivor disclosed that she along with her two sons, niece, and sister-in-law, were escaping when she tripped and fell down. Before she could get up, a group of five to six miscreants got a hold of her. Manipur Sexual Violence Video Case: Prime Accused Huirem Herodas Meitei, Who Was Seen Parading Woman Naked, Arrested by Police, Photo Surfaces.

According to multiple reports, struggling with the trauma and societal stigma, the survivor chose to disclose the ordeal after witnessing other survivors speak out. A 'zero FIR' was filed with the Bishnupur police station, triggering a comprehensive inquiry. This incident adds to the growing number of reported cases in the aftermath of the clashes, prompting the authorities to encourage victims to speak out. Manipur Viral Video Case: CBI Registers FIR in Sexual Violence Case After Two Tribal Women Stripped Naked and Paraded by Mob in Violence-Hit State.

Manipur's police force has been actively registering FIRs, with over 6,500 cases filed between May 3 and July 30. Living in a relief camp for internally displaced people, the survivor's ordeal has prompted a 'zero FIR' filing under Sections 376D, 354, 120B, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. This case comes in the wake of a sexual assault video that circulated last month, depicting two women being paraded naked on a road by a group of men in Manipur.

As the region grapples with these distressing incidents, a group of 40 legislators from Manipur have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for urgent action. They have called for the disarmament of civilians, the replacement of certain armed forces units, and the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to address the root causes of the conflict.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2023 01:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).