Husband narrated the horror story: In a heart-wrenching incident, the husband of one of the two women who were paraded naked in Manipur on Saturday (July 22) revealed the incident that took place on May 4 and claimed that it all happened in the presence of the state police, which remained mute spectators while the women were paraded naked.
The incident, which came to light on the eve of the monsoon session of Parliament this week, has shaken the conscience of the entire nation and put the Center and the BJP government in violence-hit Manipur in the dock.
The husband of one of the victim women is a retired army man and has served the nation for many years including in the Kargil war. He described his plight in an interview with India TV.
He said violence broke out in Churachandpur on the night of May 3 when rioters started burning houses.
‘Police didn’t take any action’
The husband alleged that the police, who were informed about the incident, did not take any action and stood by the rioters.
“The violence started in Churachandpur on the night of 3rd May itself. The rioters burnt our houses. We informed the police about this incident on the night of 3rd May. The police came but they did not help us. The police went and stood with the Maitai people. In the name of forming a peace committee, people came to our house and the rioters burnt the church of the neighboring village. We kept pleading with the police to save us, but no one helped us.
Elaborating further, the victim’s husband said that they hid in the forest to save their lives, however, due to the presence of animals, they were caught by the mob, who were running towards the forest to save themselves.
“We left the house and hid in a nearby forest. They caught us in the woods. They took us apart. When the crowd came, the police had also reached there.
Fear
He further claimed that the mob forced him out of the police vehicle.
“The mob forced us out of the police car. The mob stripped two women naked. When a girl’s father and brother came, they were killed. The mob also misbehaved with my wife,” he said.
When asked whether there was a need to deploy the Indian Army in the violence-hit state, he said it was for the Center to decide on the lives of Manipur’s minorities.
“Coexistence of minority and majority is very difficult. The government should take decisions on the lives of minorities,” he said.
He demanded strictest punishment for the accused in this case.
“The culprits should be given strictest punishment. At that time no one came forward to help. The state police also did not come forward to help those in front of whom this act was done,” he alleged.
So far six culprits have been arrested in the viral video case. Chief Minister N Biren Singh has assured strict action against the accused persons and said that his government will try to ensure capital punishment for them.
Read this also | Manipur: Eyewitness, husband of woman who was forced to strip by mob, recalls horror Unique
Read this also | Sawaal to banta hai: From Manipur terror to opposition alliance, BJP’s Poonam Mahajan answers on India TV