Manipur Video: First Arrest Made But Here Are Key Questions That Remain Unanswered

Two months after a mob allegedly raped and assaulted two women in Manipur, the first arrest has been made by the police. 32-year-old Huirem Herodas Singh was arrested from Andro town on Thursday morning after a video of the sexual assault on the Kuki women went viral. Kuldiep Singh, security adviser to the Manipur chief minister, confirmed to CNN-News18 that main accused Huirem Herodas has been arrested. “He is seen in the video wearing a green check shirt. We have taken him into custody and are interrogating him,” Singh said.

In the video, two women can be seen paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a 1,000-strong mob. The incident, as per the FIR, is of 3 pm on May 4, 2023. Kuldiep Singh said that though the FIR was registered soon after, the probe was hampered since no evidence was available to identify the suspects. “The video surfaced yesterday. 12 teams were set up immediately to identify the accused,” he said.

Police are trying to find the victims. The women, as per officials, are not the complainant. Their testimony will be crucial to move further in the matter, they said.

Points to ponder

1) The zero FIR in the case was registered on May 18 at Saikul. On May 21, an FIR was registered at Yairipok town in Thoubal district under sections of rape, murder, assault, promoting enmity, etc.

2) The complainant is the local village chief who said police were present when the women were taken away by a mob. Was reinforcement sought by outnumbered cops? Were higher-ups informed? If the police failed in their duty, was any action taken?

Kuldiep Singh said that the first information report does talk about the mob snatching the women, their father, brother, and one more person, from the police. If evidence emerges then relevant sections will be added to the FIR, he said.

3) If the police were present and FIR was registered, how can chief minister N Biren Singh claim that he was unaware of the horrific crime till the video emerged? Speaking to News18, he said, “After seeing the video, I immediately enquired. Yesterday at 1:30 am, one man was arrested.”

N Biren Singh also questioned the timing of the leak of the video. “Suddenly after 48 days, this incident came to light just one day before Parliament session. So further investigation is important.”

4) Police have said that they are on the lookout for the two women who were assaulted by the mob. Since they are not the complainant, their testimony is essential to frame the charges against the accused.

Media reports quoted their ordeal and their testimonies earlier this month. If journalists have managed to track them down, why is the administration so helpless?

Failure of police?

Manipur’s top police officers while speaking to News18 acknowledged that this was an embarrassment to the force. “We are ashamed of what has happened,” one of them said. On the role of the cops on duty on May 4 at the crime scene, he said, “An inquiry will be done on the conduct of the police. But for now, the focus is on who the perpetrators are.”

When asked why the administration was caught off guard when the video surfaced, police officials said that the situation in Manipur in May was not normal. There was a complete breakdown in the law and order situation and that played a role in the way this case was handled, they added.

Officials told News18 that there are concrete leads available about those seen in the video and more arrests are likely in the next few hours.