Raped, burnt alive, shot dead: Women continuously targeted in Manipur's Meitei-Kuki conflict
Imphal: Violence in conflict-ridden Manipur has escalated once again with the killing of two women—one from the Hmar community and the other from the Meitei community—within 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. These incidents have once again highlighted the ongoing atrocities against women, who have increasingly become targets of attacks and counter-attacks in the Meitei-Kuki conflict that has plagued the region since last year.
A 31-year-old school teacher and mother of three children belonging to the Hmar community was allegedly targeted by Meitei armed men in ethnic strife-torn Jiribam district. The FIR registered by the woman's husband, who managed to flee along with the children, alleged that she was caught by the armed members of Arambai Tenggol, a Meitei radical group, raped and set on fire on Friday night. Her charred body was recovered from the burnt houses hours later. Hmars are ethnically linked to the Kukis.
Hours later, a 27-year-old Meitei woman farmer, Ongbi Sofia Devi was murdered by suspected Kuki insurgents while she was harvesting paddy in her field in the Saiton area in Meitei-dominated Bishnupur district on Saturday morning.
Eyewitnesses told police that Kuki insurgents fired from a nearby hill targeting the woman and killing her on the spot, as reported by Deccan Herald on Monday. According to security forces, this reportedly could be a "revenge attack" and a "counter" to the Jiribam incident.
Protests were held by both communities calling for action against those responsible for the killings. Two women’s organisation leaders, one from the Meitei community and one from the Kuki community, told the publication that these incidents are not isolated, emphasising that women, bearing the brunt of the violence, have been targeted since the conflict erupted in May last year.
Ngaineikim, president of Kuki Women Organisation for Human Rights told DH that Meiteis have been carrying out ethnic cleansing of the Kuki-Zo communities, adding that women have been raped, paraded naked in public and even set on fire in the most barbaric way. She alleged that no strict action has been taken against the perpetrators.
She suggested another possible reason, noting that women enjoy the highest honour in their tribal society, and the radical Meitei armed groups are repeatedly targeting them to demonstrate their power.
Meanwhile, Lourembam Ngangbi, president of the All Manipur Kanba Ima Lup, a Meitei women's organisation, emphasised that women and children should never be targeted in conflict, but the Kukis are not sparing them, possibly acting under the influence of drugs.
According to government records, nearly 250 people from both communities have died, and over 60,000 others have been displaced due to the ongoing conflict.
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Strict security measures in place in Mumbai for Messi's events at 2 venues Dec 14, say police
Mumbai (PTI): In view of Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai on Sunday, the city police are implementing stringent security measures, like not allowing water bottles, metals, coins inside the stadiums and setting up watchtowers to keep an eye on the crowd, officials said.
The police also said taking extra care to avoid any stampede-like situation and to prevent recurrence of the chaotic situation that unfolded in Kolkata during Messi's visit on Saturday as thousands of fans protested inside the Salt Lake stadium here after failing to catch a clear glimpse of the football icon despite paying hefty sums for tickets.
Messi is expected to be present at the Cricket Club of India (Brabourne Stadium) in Mumbai on Sunday for a Padel GOAT Cup event followed by attending a celebrity football match. He is expected to proceed to the Wankhede Stadium for the GOAT India Tour main event around 5 pm.
"In view of Lionel Messi's visit to Mumbai, the police are geared up and have put in place a high level of security arrangements in and around the stadiums located in south Mumbai. Considering the chaos that prevailed in Kolkata and the security breach, we have deployed World Cup-level security arrangements at Brabourne and Wankhede stadiums," an official said.
Expecting heavy crowd near the stadiums during Messi's visit, the city police force has deployed more than 2,000 of its personnel near and around both the venues, he said.
As the Mumbai police have the experience of security 'bandobast' during the victory parade of ICC World Cup-winning Indian team and World Cup final match at the Wankhede Stadium, in which over one lakh cricket fans had gathered, we are prepared to handle a large crowd of fans, he said.
"We are trying to avoid the errors that occurred in the past," the official said.
There is no place to sneak inside the stadiums in Mumbai like the Kolkata stadium, according to him.
The police are also asking the organisers to provide all the required facilities to the fans inside the stadium, so that there will be no chaos, he said, adding the spectators have purchased tickets in the range of Rs 5,000 to 25,000. After paying so much of amount, any spectator expects proper services, while enjoying the event, he said.
The police are expecting 33,000 spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and over 4,000 at Brabourne Stadium. Besides this, more than 30,000 people are expected outside and around the stadiums just to have a glimpse of the football sensation, he said.
The organisers responsible for Messi's India visit recently came to Mumbai to discuss security arrangements. During the meeting, the Mumbai police asked them not to take the event lightly, according to the official.
After those requirements were fulfilled, the final security deployment was chalked out, he said.
Police has the standard procedure of the security arrangements inside the Wankhede Stadium, where people are barred from taking water bottles, metals objects, coins. Police are setting up watch towers near the stadiums and there will be traffic diversions, so that there is maximum space available to stand, according to the official.
Police are also appealing to the spectators to use public transport service for commuting and avoid personal vehicles to reach south Mumbai.
To avoid any stampede-like situation, police are also taking precautionary measures and will stop the fans some distance ahead of the stadium and public announcement systems will be used to guide the crowd. Barricades will be placed at various places to manage the crowd.
In case the crowd swells up beyond expectation, the police will divert people to other grounds and preparations in this regard underway, he said.
Additional police force has been deployed in south Mumbai to tackle any kind of situation, he said.
