Imphal: The Manipur police on Monday evening arrested one more person in connection with the stripping and parading of two women in a video that has attracted nationwide condemnation.
The fresh arrest took the total number of apprehensions in the case to seven, police said.
The two women, who are tribals, were allegedly sexually assaulted before being set free by a mob on May 4. The 26-second video of the incident surfaced on July 19.
One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an ex-Armyman, who served as a subedar in the Assam Regiment and had even fought in the Kargil War.
A complaint in connection with the video was lodged around a month ago – June 21 – at Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district.
The arrests come amid a surge in ethnic violence in Manipur, which has claimed more than 160 lives since May 3. The violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
The police have said that they are committed to bringing the perpetrators of the crime to justice. However, they have also urged the people of Manipur to maintain peace and harmony.