Manipur: CBI files charge sheet against 6, minor in case related to parading of tribal women naked
New Delhi (PTI): The CBI on Monday filed a charge sheet against six people and a juvenile in connection with two tribal women being paraded naked in Manipur's Kangpokpi district in May which triggered a nationwide outrage after a video of the incident became viral two moths later.
The agency filed the charge sheet against six people and a report against one child in conflict with the law before a special CBI court in Guwahati, nearly three months Manipur Police made arrests in the case.
It was alleged that on May 4, 2023, a mob of approximately 900 1,000 individuals, armed with sophisticated weapons, entered B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur, vandalised and set houses ablaze, looted properties, assaulted villagers, committed murders, and sexually assaulted women.
A video of the women being paraded naked, which surfaced in July this year, led to widespread condemnation across the country and globally, prompting the Supreme Court to step in and hand over the case to the CBI.
It was further alleged that two family members of one of the women paraded naked were also killed in the incident.
The CBI investigation indicated that the accused arrested by Manipur Police were involved in the incident, following which the charge sheet was filed on Monday against Huirum Herodas and others.
Further investigation is continuing including the identification of other accused involved in the offences beside other aspects of the case.
The accused have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including those pertaining to gangrape, murder, outraging the modesty of a woman and criminal conspiracy, the CBI said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had reacted to the video by saying that the incident of the two women being paraded naked had shamed 140 crore Indians and asserted that the law would act with its full might and no guilty will be spared.
"Today, when I am standing by this temple of democracy my heart is full of pain and anger," he told reporters at the Parliament complex, amid his criticism by opposition parties for not speaking on the ethnic violence in the BJP-ruled state.
"I want to assure the people of the country that no guilty will be spared. The law will act with its full might and firmness... What has happened to these daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven," he said.
The video was emblematic of the divide between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki tribal group, as political leaders cutting across party lines condemned the incident which also rocked Parliament's Monsoon session. The video surfaced on the eve of the Monsoon session of the Parliament.
The anguish over the incident found echo in the Supreme Court where a bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud took cognisance of the video and asked the Centre and the Manipur government to take immediate action.
"We are very deeply disturbed by the videos which have emerged yesterday about the way those two women were paraded in Manipur," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, had said.
"I think it is time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable," the CJI said, adding, "We will give a little time to the government to act, otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground."
He also termed the incident the "grossest" constitutional and human rights violation, adding that the court is conscious of the fact that the video is of May 4 but that makes no difference.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between the majority Meitei community, concentrated in the Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
