India's federal agency begins investigations into Manipur violence

Central Bureau of Investigation deputises 29 female officers in 53-strong enquiry team

Members of the Lamlai Kendra village volunteers force and displaced villagers from Gwaltabi protest on Wednesday to demand access to their homes in Manipur. AFP

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has formed a team of 53 officers, including 29 women, to investigate the recent violence that broke out in the north-eastern state of Manipur.

The remote province has since May 3 suffered a series of violent episodes over ethnic divisions, leading to condemnation and allegations that authorities were unable to control the situation.

More than 180 people have been killed in clashes between the Meitei Hindus and the Christian Kukis that arose over a proposed government policy that would have benefitted the majority Hindu community.

But many victims, mostly Kukis, accuse state police of siding with the Meiteis, prompting the federal government to transfer the case to the central investigation agency.

Villages have been burnt, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.

While the state police filed more than 6,500 cases of arson, looting and destruction of property, there was hardly any headway in prosecuting the accused even after India’s top court criticised Manipur police over the handling of the complaints.

State authorities told the court that they were investigating one case of fatal sexual violence, three gang-rape cases, 72 cases of murder, and four cases of sexual assault.

India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had earlier submitted to the Supreme Court that the CBI would investigate 12 cases involving female victims.

This is the first time such a large number of women officers are being simultaneously deputised.

The team includes three deputy inspector generals of police, one superintendent of police, 16 inspectors and 10 sub-inspectors.

The agency has registered eight cases, including the incident of the stripping and parading of two tribal women by a mob on May 4, which sparked a furore after video of the incident appeared on social media on July 16.

Tens of thousands of security personnel have been stationed in the region, where ordinary villagers are arming themselves to guard their respective territories, and armed militias engage each other in daily gunfights.

During search operations on Wednesday, security forces recovered eight firearms and 112 rounds of ammunition from districts in the state.