A 31-year-old tribal woman from Manipur’s Jiribam district, killed in the region’s ongoing conflict, was reportedly tortured before being raped and having her house set on fire, according to her autopsy report.
The woman’s husband filed an FIR, accusing armed militants from the Imphal Valley of brutally raping his wife, plundering their home, and setting fire to 17 houses in Zairwan village during the attack. However, the autopsy performed at Silchar Medical College could not confirm the rape due to the woman’s charred remains, which prevented the collection of vital forensic evidence. Her body was found with 99% of it charred, including bone fragments.
According to the Times of India, the woman was found with 99% of her body, even bone fragments, charred. The autopsy notes “a wound in the back of right thigh” and a “metallic nail embedded in the medial aspect of the left thigh.” The report also noted that “the right upper limb, parts of both lower limb, and the facial structure are missing.”
The Kuki-Zo tribal organizations have condemned the incident as “barbaric,” demanding that security forces identify those responsible. The Indigenous Tribes Advocacy Committee and the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum have called on the Indian government to intervene and protect the Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribes, warning of further unrest if justice is not served.
The incident has escalated violence in the Jiribam district, reigniting ethnic tensions. Following the woman’s death on November 7, additional attacks and fatalities were reported in the region, including the killing of a Meitei woman and the injury of several others. The ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur has led to more than 260 deaths and the displacement of over 60,000 people.
The police explained that the woman’s remains were sent to Silchar for autopsy due to the inconvenient road conditions caused by the ethnic crisis.
