Manipur rape survivor dies after years of waiting for justice
Manipur rape survivor dies after years of waiting for justice
A 20-year-old Kuki-Zo woman abducted and gang-raped during Manipur's ethnic violence dies after years of medical battles as justice stalls.
Imphal: A 20-year-old Kuki-Zo woman who was abducted, assaulted and gang-raped in May 2023 during Manipur’s ethnic violence was reported to have died earlier this month at a government hospital in Singhat, Churachandpur district.
Her family says she endured serious medical complications, including uterine fibrosis, and battled deep mental trauma, depression and post-traumatic stress since the attack. In the years following the assault, she was shifted between hospitals in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur for treatment and care, reflecting a grueling medical odyssey that often accompanies such brutal crimes.
According to the family, the woman was taken hostage around 5 pm on May 15, 2023 from an ATM in the New Checkon area by four men in plain clothes and taken to multiple locations before being held on a hilltop in Bishnupur district, where three of the four men allegedly raped her. She managed to escape and was rescued by an auto rickshaw driver, who took her to Bishnupur police station and then to Imphal the same night. She later reached Kangpokpi district and finally Kohima, Nagaland, for further treatment due to the severity of her injuries. An FIR registered against the four men remains stalled in the legal system, with the family noting the FIR filed two years ago and the case cited under sections 354, 307, 364, 376, 376D, 506 and 34 IPC and section 3 of the Sched. A zero FIR was also filed at Kangpokpi police station on July 21, 2023.
Kuki organizations and human rights advocates have since called for accountability, saying the tragedy underscores targeted violence against the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur. Activists point to the persistent delays in investigation and trial, arguing that justice delayed can amount to justice denied for survivors and their families. The death, amid ongoing tensions and a history of ethnic violence in the region, has renewed pressure on authorities to expedite inquiries, ensure survivor support, and address the broader security concerns faced by minority communities in Manipur.
This case highlights the brutal realities faced by victims of sexual violence in conflict zones and the urgent need for timely legal action, mental health support, and credible accountability to prevent further trauma to families already bearing the weight of loss.
