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Victim of 2023 Manipur Ethnic Rape Dies, CBI Investigation Stalled

Updated (5 articles)

Victim’s Background and 2023 Assault Details The victim was an 18‑year‑old woman abducted during the May 15, 2023 ethnic clash in Manipur. Members of the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol seized her in Imphal, transported her to Wangkhei Ayangpeli, and gang‑raped her for several hours [1]. The assault occurred amid broader communal violence that year, targeting civilians from the Kuki community [1].

Health Deterioration and Death in Early 2026 After the attack, the woman suffered severe, untreated injuries that left her bedridden for two years. Her sister reported only limited improvement despite intermittent medical attention [1]. Her father confirmed her death in January 2026 after months of unhealed trauma [1].

Investigation Status and Lack of Charges The Supreme Court ordered a status report on the sexual‑assault investigations, but the Central Bureau of Investigation has neither arrested any suspect nor filed a charge sheet to date [1]. CBI officials indicated that the case remains open but stagnant, with no substantive progress reported [1].

Community Reactions and Political Statements Kuki community groups publicly demanded accountability for the victim’s death, linking it to the broader failure to prosecute 2023 perpetrators [1]. Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen called for the continuation of buffer zones in Manipur to facilitate healing in areas still scarred by violence [1].

Under‑reporting of Women’s Victimisation in Official Data Analyses of official crime statistics reveal a significant under‑representation of women’s suffering during the 2023 conflict [1]. Data gaps obscure the true scale of sexual assault and related trauma experienced by women in the unrest [1].

Sources

Timeline

May 3, 2023 – Ethnic violence erupts in Manipur between Meitei and Kuki‑Zo groups, sparking widespread clashes that eventually leave more than 260 dead and displace an estimated 62,000 people, setting the backdrop for all subsequent unrest [4].

May 15, 2023 – An 18‑year‑old woman is abducted by members of the radical Meitei group Arambai Tenggol, taken from Imphal to Wangkhei Ayangpeli and gang‑raped for hours, a case that later becomes emblematic of the conflict’s gender‑based atrocities [1].

February 2024 – Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigns amid criticism of his crisis handling; the central government imposes President’s Rule and suspends the state assembly, whose tenure runs through 2027, fundamentally altering Manipur’s governance [3].

December 8, 2025 – Meitei MLA from Singjamei visits a Kuki relief camp in Ukhrul, urging inmates to “pray for the return of peace in the State” and stressing that “there should not be any hindrance in visiting each other’s villages,” signalling a BJP‑led reconciliation push [5].

December 15, 2025 – After more than 31 months in relief camps, 389 internally displaced persons return to their homes in Bishnupur as part of the state’s three‑phase resettlement plan slated for completion by December [4].

December 16, 2025 – Gunfire erupts in the border villages of Torbung and Phougakchao Ikhai in Bishnupur district, heightening tensions just a day after the IDP return and prompting police to investigate possible casualties [4].

January 2, 2026 – Security forces neutralise 27 country‑made bombs near Monglham village in Imphal East and recover three arms and ammunition in Langdum Nungjengbi, underscoring an intensified weapons‑search operation across the state [3].

January 5, 2026 – Two blasts strike Bishnupur district, injuring Sanatomba Singh and Indubala Devi; the first explosion hits an abandoned house that has remained empty since the May 2023 ethnic violence, linking the incident to lingering conflict‑related sites [2].

January 2026 – The 18‑year‑old victim of the 2023 gang‑rape dies after two years of severe health decline, her death confirming fears that the lack of arrests or charge sheets by the CBI has left justice elusive for survivors [1].

2026 – Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen calls for the continuation of buffer zones in Manipur, arguing that they are needed “to allow healing where the wounds of violence are still deep,” reflecting ongoing policy debates about post‑conflict recovery [1].

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