Of the total 6,523 FIRs registered, only three cases are of rape, Manipur police has informed the Supreme Court. Giving a break-up of the FIRs registered so far, the police said that there are overlapping cases where rape and murder both have happened, while in one case gang rape has been alleged. Speaking to CNN-News18, a top Manipur police officer said that in 15 cases, allegations of “outraging the modesty" of women have been made, but the majority of the cases are of loot and arson.
In data shared with the Supreme Court, police said that between May and July 30, close to 4,500 cases of arson, 4,694 cases of destruction of property, and 4,148 cases of looting were registered. 46 cases were of damage to places of worship and 100 cases of grievous hurt, they added.
Decline in murders
A Manipur police officer said there has been a steady decline in the number of murder cases. While 107 deaths were reported in May, 38 people died in June, 17 in July, and 6 people in August so far. The deaths in August were on the 3rd after a brief lull.
“There is a sporadic burst of violence but the overall violence spread has come down," the top cop from Manipur told CNN-News18. Officials said that 14 suspension of operation agreement camps have been inspected and are being regularly monitored to ensure that SOO signatory cadres remain inside the camps. 318 bunkers have been removed so far though officials acknowledge that some bunkers have come up again with the latest round of firing and tension.
Rape cases
Viral video case: Police officials said that in the case of two Kuki women being stripped, paraded, and videographed, evidence of rape has emerged. Seven people have been arrested for the assault. The Central Bureau of Investigation is now probing the case. Investigation officials said that even though a lot of time was wasted since the crime to the regular FIR getting registered, the probe has thrown up crucial evidence. “Medical evidence may have been lost because of the delay but we will record section 164 statement of the survivor. Accounts of witnesses and survivors and the interrogation of the accused are consistent," the official said.
Imphal car wash case: Two Kuki women were assaulted and murdered in the car wash where they were employed on May 4. The families have alleged that the victims were confined to a room behind the car wash, tortured for hours, and raped. Their bodies were later recovered. Investigating officials say that so far the probe has not established rape. “They were tortured but medical and forensic evidence has not established rape," an official said.
ATM case: A 19-year-old woman in Imphal had alleged that she was picked up by a mob when she had gone to an ATM kiosk to draw money. The money was to be paid to the taxi driver who would ferry her to Churachandpur. The woman alleged that a mob cornered her at the ATM kiosk, abducted her, and raped her in a moving vehicle as they traversed multiple locations. She escaped by rolling down a hill where the abductors had stopped. An autorickshaw driver reportedly helped her escape. Police say that medical evidence to prove rape is inconclusive in this case. “The locations mentioned by the survivor, of the ATM and of the places she was taken to, are also inconsistent. But we have registered a rape case as per the allegations and a probe is on," an official said.
The Supreme Court had summoned Manipur’s director general of police on Monday and ordered the supervision of the cases by retired high court judges and a Maharashtra police officer.
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