Women in India’s northeastern state of Manipur have attacked the house of the main suspect in a sexual assault case that has enraged the nation, police said.
The person allegedly dragged two tribal women onto the streets in May and later incited a mob to rape and parade them naked, police said on Friday, as ethnic clashes between the mostly Hindu Meitei and mainly Christian Kuki-Zo communities engulfed the remote state.
The sexual assault took place over two months ago but it captured national attention after a short video went viral on social media earlier this week.
The main suspect, identified as Khuirem Herodas, a Meitei, was arrested on Thursday hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, breaking his nearly 80-day silence on Manipur violence, condemned the alleged sexual assault as “shameful” and promised tough action.
Three others also were arrested and a police official said were tracing at least 30 others involved in the crime.
“Local women pelted stones and burnt some parts of the house belonging to the prime accused in a village,” said Hemant Pandey, a senior police official in the state capital Imphal.
“Manipur needs complete attention and we demand the prime minister make an elaborate statement in the parliament,” said Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the opposition Congress party.
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