According to police, the incident took place on 4 May a day after violence began in Manipur.
A video that allegedly shows two women in Manipur being sexually assaulted on a road has gone viral.
In a first official response to the alleged video the Superintendent of Police (SP), K Meghachandra Singh issued a press note. The press note stated "As regards the video of 2 women paraded naked by unknown armed miscreants on 4th May 2023, a case of abduction, gangrape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai Police
Station (Thoubal district) against unknown armed miscreants. Investigation has started and the state police is making an all-out effort to arrest the culprits at the earliest".
The press note gave details of search operations being carried out by the State Police and Central forces in different vulnerable fringe areas of both valley and hill districts of the state. In one such operation, 2 Arms and 2 Magazines were recovered by the District Police, Imphal East.
Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare Smriti Irani also responded to the alleged video after speaking to the state Chief minister. Smriti Irani posted on Twitter saying, "The horrific video of sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM N Biren Singh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway & assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice."
The alleged viral video has however kicked off a political storm ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament that gets underway on Thursday 20th July. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his tweet has questioned the central government claiming that the Prime Minister's silence has pushed the state into anarchy.
"PM's silence and inaction has led Manipur into anarchy. INDIA will not stay silent while the idea of India is being attacked in Manipur. We stand with the people of Manipur. Peace is the only way forward," the Congress leader tweeted.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)