Police makes seventh arrest in Manipur's viral video case

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A protester holds a placard during a protest against the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur state, in New Delhi, Friday, July 21, 2023. Photo: PTI

Manipur police have made another arrest in connection with the recent incident of two women being stripped and paraded. A video of the incident has gone viral, causing widespread condemnation.

The fresh arrest on Monday evening from Thoubal district took the total number of apprehensions in the case to seven.

Police had earlier identified 14 people from the video among those who had participated in the disrobing of the two tribal women on May 4.

The two women are alleged to have been sexually assaulted before being set free by a mob. A 26-second video of the incident surfaced on July 19.

One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an ex-Armyman, who served as a subedar in the Assam Regiment and had even fought in the Kargil War.

A complaint in connection with the video was lodged around a month ago June 21 at Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district.

More than 160 people have lost their lives, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 percent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 percent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

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