Manipur violence: 5th accused arrested in sexual assault case

• Police arrest fifth suspect in connection with the viral video showing sexual assault on two women in Manipur
• Four previously arrested individuals remanded to 11-day police custody
• Protests and disruptions in Parliament continue due to the shocking incident, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties

Police in Manipur have made another arrest in connection with a shocking viral video that emerged on Wednesday, showing two women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a violent mob in strife-torn Manipur. The incident has sparked massive outrage across the country and has even led to disruptions in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.

On Friday, the four previously arrested suspects were remanded to 11-day police custody for their alleged involvement in the heinous crime. The newly apprehended fifth accused has been identified as Yumlembam Nungsithoi Metei, aged 19, according to police reports.

Following the emergence of the distressing video, fresh violence erupted in Imphal when protesting women blocked both sides of the main road in the Ghari area. The demonstrators resorted to burning tires during their protests, leading the police to take necessary action to control the situation.

The situation in Manipur has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties in Parliament. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of obstructing parliamentary proceedings and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiate a debate on the Manipur issue in either the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha. Protests by opposition parties over the ethnic violence-hit Manipur situation and a separate video from May 4, which featured two women being stripped naked in the state, have paralyzed both houses of Parliament since the commencement of the monsoon session on July 20.

Union Minister Smriti Irani also weighed in on the issue, stressing its sensitivity and national security implications. Irani expressed concern that opposition leaders were not interested in discussing the matter in Parliament. She cited an alarming incident in Rajasthan where a minister who spoke out about crimes against women was dismissed by the Congress party. Irani also pointed to a troubling video from Malda, West Bengal, involving two Dalit women being brutally beaten. She suggested that such incidents were being hushed up by certain political parties for political gains.

The nation remains outraged and deeply disturbed by the heinous crime in Manipur, and there are growing calls for swift and decisive action to bring all the culprits to justice. The incident has brought the issue of women's safety and security to the forefront, urging society to take strong measures to prevent such horrific acts from occurring in the future.