A Kuki woman who survived a horrific gang rape during the Meitei–Kuki ethnic clashes in Manipur in May 2023 has passed away after a prolonged illness, with her family saying the trauma she endured played a major role in deteriorating her health. Her death has once again drawn attention to the urgent need for justice, accountability and healing for victims of violence in the conflict-hit state.
The woman, who was kidnapped from Imphal and subjected to sexual assault by a group of men, never fully recovered from the physical injuries and emotional shock she suffered. Her family said she lived in deep pain for over two years, struggling with the after-effects of the crime while waiting for justice that never came during her lifetime.
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Despite the breakdown of law and order at the height of the unrest, she showed immense courage by narrating her ordeal and filing a police complaint on July 21, 2023, two months after the assault. Her testimony detailed the brutality she faced and the suffering inflicted upon her, which left lasting scars on her body and mind.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), based in Churachandpur, said the woman was taken to Langgol where she was assaulted and later abandoned in Bishnupur, left critically injured and fighting for her life. The forum has announced a candlelight vigil in her memory, calling for justice and dignity for the victim and renewed efforts to protect women in conflict zones.
Her passing has sparked widespread grief and solidarity across communities, with civil society groups urging authorities to ensure that such crimes are thoroughly investigated and that survivors receive timely medical, psychological and legal support, so that no victim has to suffer in silence again.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
