Manipur: Meira Paibis stage protests over gangrape of 37-yr-old woman

Meira Paibis, a collective of Meitei women, on Friday staged sit-in demonstrations across five districts of Imphal Valley in protest against the alleged gangrape of a 37-year-old woman in Churachandpur on May 3, when the ongoing ethnic violence started.

The survivor alleged she was gangraped by a group of men while fleeing her burning house in Khumujamba Leikai in Churachandpur, police said. An FIR was lodged with Bishnupur women police station on August 9 and the matter was later forwarded to Churachandpur police station for investigation, they said.

In protest against the incident, Meira Paibis staged sit-in demonstrations in Keisampat, Uripok and Singjamei areas in Imphal West district and Kongba and Khurai in Imphal East district. Similar protests were also held in Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal districts. Ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3 and has been continuing for the last three months, killing more than 160 people and leaving thousands homeless.