Anger grows in India over mob forcing two women to parade naked

The event took place on May 4 but was revealed on social networks only on Wednesday, sparking demonstrations today in several of the main cities of the Asian country, such as New Delhi or southern Bangalore. Neicha, originally from Manipur and resident in the Indian capital, expressed to EFE her “anger and rejection” for the “horrible abuse of these women being subjected to inhumane treatment.”

The video shows two naked women surrounded by dozens of men, some of them armed with sticks, in a rural area of ​​the Thoubal district. From the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to the regional authorities yesterday condemned the event and promised forceful measures against those responsible.

But from the Jantar Mantar “manifestodrome”, one of the few places in the capital Delhi where demonstrations are allowed, Neicha wondered about the inaction of the authorities despite the fact that the women had denounced the events.

“The state government did nothing for more than two months,” he said, “I don’t know which is worse, if they knew and did nothing or if they didn’t even know.” The role of the Police has also been questioned, after both a complaint filed days after the event and one of the victims’ husbands claimed that members of the security forces handed the women over to the mob, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

Jennifer, another of the protesters in the Indian capital, condemned the event and regretted that “it is only one that has been captured on video, there are many more stories (…) that have not been reported.” The event occurred a day after the outbreak of a wave of ethnic violence, which is still ongoing and has left almost 150 dead, between the majority Meitei community in Manipur and the Kuki tribe, a minority in the state but with more force in the mountainous areas.

At the heart of the dispute is a court request to classify the Meitei as “tribal,” a status that would allow them to spread out into the mountains and access government posts, and which the Kuki oppose. Both Neicha and Jennifer, like other protesters gathered in the center of the capital, declared that they belonged to the Kuki community and called for a separate administration from the Meitei in Manipur.