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.
We request women to protest peacefully as there is intense unease. We understand their rage,” he said.
Protests were planned in several parts of India by rights groups demanding justice and swift investigations into the latest incident to raise questions about the safety of women in the country.
The sexual assault was reported by the victims in May after ethnic clashes began in Manipur.
The fighting was triggered by a court order that the government should consider extending special benefits enjoyed by the tribal Kuki-Zo people to the majority Meitei population as well.
At least 130 people have been killed and more than 50,000 have fled their homes since the violence erupted. Homes and churches in dozens of villages have been torched.
The Kuki-Zo community is protesting Meitei demands for reserved public job quotas and college admissions as a form of affirmative action, stoking long-held fears that they might also be allowed to acquire land in areas currently reserved for tribal groups.
