A charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has cast a dark shadow over the Manipur Police, accusing officers of abandoning two Kuki women to a violent mob during ethnic clashes last year.
The harrowing ordeal, detailed in the charge sheet submitted before a Guwahati court, depicts a scene of desperation and betrayal.
The two women, from the Kuki-Zomi community, sought refuge in a police vehicle while fleeing an armed mob of nearly 1,000 Meiti rioters.
Their pleas for help, however, were allegedly met with indifference. The CBI alleges that officers claimed the vehicle had no key and refused to drive them to safety.
One of the women was reportedly the wife of a decorated Kargil war veteran, adding another layer of tragedy to the incident.
The nightmare began on May 4th, 2023, when ethnic violence erupted in Manipur.
The CBI alleges that a mob armed with sophisticated weaponry, including AK rifles, stormed the village of the two women, located approximately 68 km south of Saikul police station.
In a desperate bid to escape, the women, along with others, fled into the surrounding forest. However, the mob was relentless and managed to separate the victims.
According to officials briefed on the charge sheet, some members of the mob directed the women towards a police vehicle parked on the roadside, presumably as a beacon of hope.
Believing they had found shelter, the women entered the vehicle, already occupied by two police personnel and the driver.
Three or four additional officers were reportedly stationed outside the vehicle.
One of the male victims, who also managed to reach the supposed safe haven, pleaded with the driver to escape the approaching mob.
His pleas, however, were allegedly met with a chilling response – “there was no key.”
The CBI further alleges that the police officers not only failed to assist the victims but also stood by as the father of the male victim was assaulted by the mob.
As the mob surged closer, the police vehicle, instead of driving away, was steered towards the heart of the danger – a crowd of around 1,000 people.
The victims’ desperate pleas for safety were once again ignored.
The CBI alleges that the mob had already claimed the life of the male victim’s father before reaching the police vehicle.
When the rioters descended upon the vehicle, officers reportedly abandoned their posts, leaving the women and remaining victims at the mercy of the attackers.
The charge sheet details the horrific ordeal that followed. The mob dragged the women out of the vehicle, stripped them naked, and subjected them to a sexual assault.
The CBI has filed charges against six individuals and submitted a report against a juvenile in connection with the incident.
The accused face charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including gang rape, murder, outraging modesty of a woman, and criminal conspiracy.
This incident has severely tarnished the reputation of the Manipur Police and raises serious questions about the force’s commitment to protecting civilians during times of unrest.
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