From available evidence, it appears that the Meiteis have taken a

more aggressive stance. As the largest community in Manipur, they

hold signi cant social, political, and economic in uence, including a
dominant position in the state government and consequently control
over the police force. This gives them an upper hand in the con ict.
Numerous instances of severe sexual violence perpetrated by
Meitei men, militias, and militants against Kuki women have also
been documented. All available evidence strongly indicates the
systematic utilization of sexual violence as a component of the
ongoing ethnic con ict.
A surge of violent reactions within the Meitei community was
triggered by false information regarding the rape of a Meitei woman
in an area predominantly inhabited by Kukis. A video that surfaced
online on July 19 depicted a group of Meitei men publicly harassing
and assaulting two naked Kuki women on a rural road. The incident
continued in a eld, where one of the women reportedly endured
sexual assault.
This video sparked widespread outrage across India, prompting
protests in various cities. In response to inquiries from a television
news channel, Manipur's Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh,
acknowledged the presence of "hundreds of such cases."
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