41 Meiteis From Mizoram Take Shelter In Assam After Threat Over Manipur Video

An ex-militant group allegedly asked the Meitei community members to leave Mizoram following the viral video of two women being paraded naked in Manipur, officials said on Sunday (July 23). It prompted 41 Meitei people to take shelter in Assam. 

The Meitei people reached Silchar on Saturday (July 22) night from neighbouring Mizoram, where they have been kept at the building of the Lakhipur Development Block in the Binnakandi area, said Cachar district's SP Numal Mahatta. 

He added that people displaced from Mizoram, amid mounting tensions in Manipur between Meitei and Kuki communities, are from well-to-do families. "They came in their vehicles. Some are college professors, while some work as senior government officials. They said there have been no attacks in Mizoram as of now," he added.

While the Mizoram government led by Zoramthanga assured to provide all security to the Meitei people, they were not in the position to take any risk and shifted to Assam for their safety. "They are saying that they will stay here till the situation normalises," the SP said, adding that Assam Police is providing security to them.

The shift of the Meitei community people to Assam comes after an 'advisory' by an ex-militants association of Mizoram asked them to leave the state due to tension triggered by the viral video of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur.

Significantly, several thousand people from the Meitei, Kuki and Hmar communities fled Manipur, and have been living in Assam since ethnic violence erupted in that state on May 3. The clashes erupted when members of the Kuki staged a protest against the possible extension of their benefits to the dominant Meiteis.

Manipur horror: Six arrested 

The horrific old video of two women being paraded naked by an armed mob of nearly 1000 people in Manipur has triggered national outrage. The video that surfaced on July 19, was of May 4, a day after violent clashes rocked the northeastern state. The mob molested the helpless women, crying and pleading with their captors, in the Kangpokpi district. 

After 77 days of the harrowing act, the Manipur Police arrested four people on Thursday (July 20). Two persons, including a juvenile, were apprehended by the cops on Saturday (July 22). Till now, six persons, including one who was seen in a viral video dragging one of the women at B. Phainom village, have been nabbed.