BSF jawan seen molesting woman in Manipur grocery store, suspended

An internal probe has reportedly been initiated against the head constable.

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan has been suspended after he was caught on camera sexually assaulting a woman in ethnic violence-hit Manipur, news agency PTI reported. The incident reportedly happened last week at a grocery store in the Imphal West district. Widely circulated online, the video of the alleged molestation showed head constable Satish Prasad, in uniform and carrying an INSAS rifle, groping the woman.

The incident reportedly happened last week at a grocery store in the Imphal West district.

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A case has been filed against Prasad. A BSF officer told PTI that the incident was reported on July 20. Prasad was suspended the same day after the paramilitary force received a complaint.

An internal probe has been initiated against the head constable who belongs to the number 100 battalion of the force that was sent to the strife-torn northeastern state as an ad-hoc unit for security duties.

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The BSF has zero tolerance for such acts and a fair investigation will be conducted in this incident, PTI reported quoting the officer.

The fresh incident of violence against a woman comes days after a video of a group of men sexually assaulting and disrobing two women in Manipur went viral. Seven people have been apprehended in the case so far.

On May 4, two more women were allegedly raped and murdered by a mob in the state capital of Imphal, according to details of a first information report (FIR) seen by HT. Not only did the two incidents happen on the same day within an hour of each other, the victims hailed from the same community (Kuki) as did the perpetrators (Meitei), according to the FIRs.

Over 160 people have been killed and several injured since clashes broke out between Meiteis and Kukis in Manipur on May 3, following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' to protest against the former community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

On Tuesday, the Manipur government partially lifted the internet ban by conditionally allowing broadband service while keeping the ban on mobile internet.