I protected my country but couldn't protect my wife: Husband of woman 'paraded naked', 'gang-raped' in Manipur

“I am utterly sad. I served for the nation, I protected my country, but I could not save my wife and my family and my fellow villagers,” said husband of one of the two Kuki women who was paraded naked and allegedly gang-raped on 4 May, day after ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur. The husband of one of the two women who were abused and sexually assaulted is a Kargil war veteran and was also in Sri Lanka as a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force. As per reports, he had served in the Indian Army as a Subedar of the Assam Regiment.

#ManipurViolence: Manipur viral video victim's family share their ordeal and demand punishment for the perpetrators in #exclusive conversation with News18's @kamalikasengupt #Manipur #Manipurvideo | @anjalipandey06 pic.twitter.com/UyUTrURU5M

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Violence broke out in Manipur on 3 May and the next day, a mob of 800 to 1,000 men, allegedly from the Meitei community, entered the B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district in the north-east state armed with weapons like AK Rifles, SLR, INSAS, and .303 Rifles. They then vandalised houses, looted all the moveable properties and, cash and before leaving they burnt the houses. Seeing the activities of miscreants, five locals — two men and three women — fled their house and ran towards the nearby forest. However, they were abducted by a mob, nearly 2 km away from a police station. As per the complaint, the mob first killed one man, and later forced three women to strip naked. A 19-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped, and her brother was killed when he tried to intervene. The women escaped afterwards. Don’t want another Manipur like situation Recalling the horror, the husband of one of the two Kuki women ‘paraded naked’ said, “In a country like India, nowhere there should be a similar situation like Manipur where people of the minority group are constantly suppressed by those from the majority group.” ‘Police were present but took no action’ “It is shocking that my wife and other members, who were sitting in a police van, were dragged out of vehicle and were attacked in presence of cops,” the defence personnel, whose wife was assaulted by mob in Manipur said. “In Defence force, we are taught not to ill-treat any women, respect all religions and religious place,” he added. ‘No faith in Manipur government’ “People who have killed innocents, indiscriminately attacked people, including women and children, should get harshest of punishment,” he said. “The Indian government should do something to ensure that people of Kuki and Meitei communities live peacefully. I have no faith in Manipur government. I now just have hope from the Indian government to help bring back peace in Manipur,” the man said as he urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and ensure swift action against the perpetrators.