The United States has said it was deeply concerned by reports of viral videos showing two women being paraded naked in Manipur, a sexual assault case that enraged the country last week.
The assault, in which a mob allegedly raped and paraded the naked women, took place over two months ago, but it captured national and global attention as the video went viral on social media in the past week. Police have so far arrested 5 accused who can be seen in the video and have apprehended a juvenile.
A US State Department spokesperson called the incident “brutal” and “terrible” and said the United States conveyed its sympathies to the victims, Reuters reported.
The assault was reported in May during intense ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities over Meiteis’ demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against this demand.
At least 125 people have been killed and more than 40,000 have fled their homes since the violence erupted in Manipur.
The United States encouraged a peaceful and inclusive resolution to the Manipur violence and urged authorities to respond to humanitarian needs while protecting all groups, homes and places of worship, the State Department spokesperson said.
