Four arrested in Manipur horrific video case; CM N Biren considers capital punishment for culprits

The main culprit who was wearing a green t-shirt and seen holding one of the victims was arrested on Thursday morning in an operation after proper identification, police said.

He has been identified as Huirem Herodas Meitei (32 years) of Pechi Awang Leikai. He was arrested at around 1.30 am on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday in Thoubal district.

The video of the egregious act came to light two months later, on Wednesday, shaking the already tumultuous situation in Manipur, where ethnic clashes between the Kukis and the Meiteis have, so far, claimed at least 80 lives and over 40,000 people displaced from their homes.

The police identified him with the help of the video in which he was seen wearing a green T-shirt, the report said.

Three more arrests were made hours later in connection with the case.

As per the police complaint, on the day of the incident, a large group of around 800 to 1,000 people, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered B. Phainom village.

They went on a rampage vandalising, looting properties, and setting houses on fire.

These miscreants were suspected to have links with Meitei organizations.

Amidst the chaos, five villagers—two men and three women—took refuge in the nearby forest to escape the violence.

A team from Nongpok Sekmai Police later rescued them and began escorting them to the police station. Unfortunately, during this process, the mob abducted them.

The mob killed one of the men immediately and then subjected the three women to a horrifying ordeal. They stripped the women, and one of the women, aged 21, was brutally gang-raped. When her 19-year-old brother tried to intervene, he was also murdered by the mob.

Manipur Police registered a case of abduction, gang rape, and murder taking cognisance of the viral video.

Police have launched an extensive search to nab the culprits, forming as many as 12 teams to speed up arresting the accused individuals involved in the heinous crime.

Manipur CM promises strict action

Promising appropriate and strict action, including a possible capital punishment, against all those involved in the "deeply disrespectful and inhumane act”, the Manipur Chief Minister said one person has already been arrested.

“My heart goes out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking a Suo-motu cognisance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur Police swung to action and made the first arrest this morning,” N Biren said in a statement.