Manipur Govt Appeals People Not To Believe In Rumours, Issues Helpline Number

The Manipur state government on Saturday made an appeal to the public to not believe in rumours, amid mounting tension over the viral video of two Tribal women being paraded naked in the state.

The government also issued a rumour-free helpline number (9233522822) for people to inform about the circulation of "unfounded" videos.

A total of five people have been arrested so far in the 'disrobing and parading women' case after a 19-year-old accused was held late on Friday. The fifth accused was identified as Yumlembam Nungsithoi.

"State Police is making an all-out effort to arrest the remaining culprits by conducting raids at many suspected hideouts," Manipur Police said in a statement.

The four who were earlier nabbed for disrobing and parading two women in Manipur on May 4 were remanded to 11-day police custody on Friday, police said.

The arrests were made on Thursday, a day after the 26-second video surfaced on July 19.

The house of the key accused in the case was torched on Thursday, hours after he was arrested by police.

According to police, he was seen prominently directing the mob at B. Phainom village of Kangpokpi district in the video.

One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an ex-army man who had served in the Indian Army as a Subedar of the Assam Regiment and even fought in the Kargil War.

It may be recalled, that the complaint in connection with the viral video was lodged around a month ago - June 21 - at Saikul police station in Kangpokpi district.

Manipur has been witnessing clashes since May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Nearly 160 people have lost their lives so far.

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.