Thangjam Manorama
Encyclopedia
Thangjam Manoroma was the custodial rape
victim of Manipur
, who was brutally murdered by the armed forces of 17, Assam Rifles
stationed in Manipur
.
stationed in Manipur
, after she was picked by them on the early hours of 11 July 2004.
According to the victim's family, troops of the 17 Assam Rifles
along with two Manipuri speaking people came to their house in Bamon Kampu, Imphal
East District around midnight of 11 July 2004 and they broke the door and entered the house. At that time, Manorama was sleeping in her room. When the security personnel found her, they dragged her out from her bed and beat up the family members when they tried to stop them. Then they locked the house door from outside and brutally assaulted Manorama after blind folding her and tying her hand and feet.
At around 3:30 a.m. of July 11, the security personnel took Manorama along with them. They issued a memo of arrest to the family. In the memo of arrest, Havildar, General Duty of the Assam Rifles Suresh Kumar (Army no. 173355) and Riflemen T. Lotha (Army no. 173916) and Ajit Singh (Army no. 173491) put their signatures as authority and witnesses. According to the memo of arrest, no incriminating documents or articles were found with Manorama at the time of her arrest. The army personnel also forced the family to sign on some papers that they do not know about. The army personnel told the family that Manorama would be handed over to the Irilbung police in the morning. A report filed at the Irilbung Police Station in the early morning of 11 July 2004 indicated that Manorama was taken by the Assam Rifles
personnel.
However, the bullet ridden body of Manorama was found at around 5:00 p.m. on 11 July 2004 by the villagers at Keirao Wangkhem Road near Ngariyan Maring Village, about four kilometers from the family's house. When it was found, the body wore no proper clothes. There were finger-scratch marks were found all over the body and a gashing wound probably made by knife was found on her right thigh, too. Several fatal bullet wounds were seen on her back, the upper buttock and the genitalia. Manorama's family strongly believes that she had been raped and then killed by the army personnel.
A post-mortem on the victim's body was conducted on July 11 at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
, Imphal
but the victim&'s family insisted that it was not conducted properly according to the guidelines laid down by the National Human Rights Commission. Until now, the family has been refusing to receive the body calling for proper and independent post-mortem and the victim's body is still in the RIMS morgue.
However, the official spokesman of 9 Sector Assam Rifles
said on July 11 that Manorama was a member of the banned Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and was shot dead when she tried to flee while leading the Assam Rifles
to a PLA hide out. The spokesman contradicted the memo of arrest given to the victim's mother saying that a wireless radio, a hand grenade
and sheaf of incriminating documents were seized from Manorama at the time of her arrest.
rape
us" and "Indian Army
takes our flesh.".
Curfew was imposed in Greater Imphal area and extended to Bishenpur and Thoubal Districts of Manipur, India since 11:00 a.m. on 15 July 2004 in wake of widespread public protests. However, again large number of people came out on the streets on July 15 defying the curfew that caused street battles between the people and Manipur
police, Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF) personnel. The eyewitness confirmed that uniformed and armed central security forces personnel were also dispatched in the curfew areas. The people including women continued to go out on the streets and joined the demonstration on 16 July and over 100 people were injured in the police firing on July 16, while the police tried to disperse the people at various places including Kongba, Sangakpham, Tera, Uchekon and some on the outskirts of the state capital using tear gas and rubber bullets. The injured were rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
hospital. Both the hospitals were packed with injured people and their relatives and friends. There was complete chaos in the hospitals as so many injured persons were brought in.
, Okram Ibobi said on 16 July 2004 that the government
would investigate this case and punish the Assam Rifles
personnel involved in the killing of Manorama. Accordingly, Lt. Gen. Daljeet Singh, Corp Commander was summoned by the Chief Minister. The commanding officers of the 17 Assam Rifles
were also instructed to hand over the three persons who had signed the memo of arrest for interrogation.
The military though did not agree the incident in total, agreed to cooperate with a judicial inquiry. The perpetrators were kept away from duty until the completion of judicial inquiry which started on 12 July 2004.
The state government then set up an inquiry commission under the chairmanship of retired district and session judge C. Upendra. The reports of the Inquiry Commission were submitted to the state government on November 22, 2004.
However, the Assam Rifles
filed a case to the Guwahati
High Court terming the inquiry conducted by the state government upon the armed forces as illegitimate. The state government as well as the victim's family had also filed cases to the High Court.
The ruling of the Guwahati
High Court made on June 23, 2005 said that State Government had no authority to institute such commission against the central armed forces, under the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, but the reports of the Inquiry Commission should be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Union Home Secretary should examine the report and subsequently take up actions against any personnel of Assam Rifles
if found guilty. The ruling of the High Court was not welcomed by any party including Assam Rifles
, state government and victim'ss family. They further filed appeals to the Guwahati High Court regarding the case.
The ruling of Justices Amitava Roy and B. D. Agarwal at Guwahati
High Court on August 31, 2010 has allowed the State Government to open and act upon an inquiry report on the facts and circumstances leading to the brutal killing and rape of Thangjam Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles soldiers.
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
victim of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, who was brutally murdered by the armed forces of 17, Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
stationed in Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
.
Rape and Murder
The 32 year old woman named Thangjam Manorama alias Henthoi was brutally tortured and allegedly executed by personnel of the paramilitary force of 17 Assam RiflesAssam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
stationed in Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, after she was picked by them on the early hours of 11 July 2004.
According to the victim's family, troops of the 17 Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
along with two Manipuri speaking people came to their house in Bamon Kampu, Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
East District around midnight of 11 July 2004 and they broke the door and entered the house. At that time, Manorama was sleeping in her room. When the security personnel found her, they dragged her out from her bed and beat up the family members when they tried to stop them. Then they locked the house door from outside and brutally assaulted Manorama after blind folding her and tying her hand and feet.
At around 3:30 a.m. of July 11, the security personnel took Manorama along with them. They issued a memo of arrest to the family. In the memo of arrest, Havildar, General Duty of the Assam Rifles Suresh Kumar (Army no. 173355) and Riflemen T. Lotha (Army no. 173916) and Ajit Singh (Army no. 173491) put their signatures as authority and witnesses. According to the memo of arrest, no incriminating documents or articles were found with Manorama at the time of her arrest. The army personnel also forced the family to sign on some papers that they do not know about. The army personnel told the family that Manorama would be handed over to the Irilbung police in the morning. A report filed at the Irilbung Police Station in the early morning of 11 July 2004 indicated that Manorama was taken by the Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
personnel.
However, the bullet ridden body of Manorama was found at around 5:00 p.m. on 11 July 2004 by the villagers at Keirao Wangkhem Road near Ngariyan Maring Village, about four kilometers from the family's house. When it was found, the body wore no proper clothes. There were finger-scratch marks were found all over the body and a gashing wound probably made by knife was found on her right thigh, too. Several fatal bullet wounds were seen on her back, the upper buttock and the genitalia. Manorama's family strongly believes that she had been raped and then killed by the army personnel.
A post-mortem on the victim's body was conducted on July 11 at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences was established on 14 September 1972 in the name of the Regional Medical College. It is situated in a picturesque locality at Lamphelpat in Manipur, India. The objective of this premier institute is to impart quality medical education and ameliorate the...
, Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
but the victim&'s family insisted that it was not conducted properly according to the guidelines laid down by the National Human Rights Commission. Until now, the family has been refusing to receive the body calling for proper and independent post-mortem and the victim's body is still in the RIMS morgue.
However, the official spokesman of 9 Sector Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
said on July 11 that Manorama was a member of the banned Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and was shot dead when she tried to flee while leading the Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
to a PLA hide out. The spokesman contradicted the memo of arrest given to the victim's mother saying that a wireless radio, a hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
and sheaf of incriminating documents were seized from Manorama at the time of her arrest.
Mass Response
Several women's groups called a 48-hour general strike the day after Manorama's body was found, bringing normal life in the state to a grinding halt for two days until July 12. On July 15, hundreds of women had stormed the Assam Rifles headquarters in Imphal, with at least 40 parading naked and holding placards that read: "Indian ArmyIndian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
us" and "Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
takes our flesh.".
Curfew was imposed in Greater Imphal area and extended to Bishenpur and Thoubal Districts of Manipur, India since 11:00 a.m. on 15 July 2004 in wake of widespread public protests. However, again large number of people came out on the streets on July 15 defying the curfew that caused street battles between the people and Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
police, Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) and Central Reserve Police Force
Central Reserve Police Force
The Central Reserve Police Force also known as CRPF is the largest of India's Central Armed Police Forces. It functions under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. The CRPF's primary role lies in assisting the State/Union Territories in police operations to maintain...
(CRPF) personnel. The eyewitness confirmed that uniformed and armed central security forces personnel were also dispatched in the curfew areas. The people including women continued to go out on the streets and joined the demonstration on 16 July and over 100 people were injured in the police firing on July 16, while the police tried to disperse the people at various places including Kongba, Sangakpham, Tera, Uchekon and some on the outskirts of the state capital using tear gas and rubber bullets. The injured were rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital and the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
Regional Institute of Medical Sciences
The Regional Institute of Medical Sciences was established on 14 September 1972 in the name of the Regional Medical College. It is situated in a picturesque locality at Lamphelpat in Manipur, India. The objective of this premier institute is to impart quality medical education and ameliorate the...
hospital. Both the hospitals were packed with injured people and their relatives and friends. There was complete chaos in the hospitals as so many injured persons were brought in.
Enquiry
After facing huge resistance of the people, the Chief Minister of ManipurManipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
, Okram Ibobi said on 16 July 2004 that the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
would investigate this case and punish the Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
personnel involved in the killing of Manorama. Accordingly, Lt. Gen. Daljeet Singh, Corp Commander was summoned by the Chief Minister. The commanding officers of the 17 Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
were also instructed to hand over the three persons who had signed the memo of arrest for interrogation.
The military though did not agree the incident in total, agreed to cooperate with a judicial inquiry. The perpetrators were kept away from duty until the completion of judicial inquiry which started on 12 July 2004.
The state government then set up an inquiry commission under the chairmanship of retired district and session judge C. Upendra. The reports of the Inquiry Commission were submitted to the state government on November 22, 2004.
However, the Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
filed a case to the Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
High Court terming the inquiry conducted by the state government upon the armed forces as illegitimate. The state government as well as the victim's family had also filed cases to the High Court.
The ruling of the Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
High Court made on June 23, 2005 said that State Government had no authority to institute such commission against the central armed forces, under the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, but the reports of the Inquiry Commission should be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Union Home Secretary should examine the report and subsequently take up actions against any personnel of Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
if found guilty. The ruling of the High Court was not welcomed by any party including Assam Rifles
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles are one of the Paramilitary forces of India. The unit can trace its lineage back to a paramilitary police force that was formed under the British in 1835 called Cachar Levy. Since then the Assam Rifles have undergone a number of name changes before the name Assam Rifles was finally...
, state government and victim'ss family. They further filed appeals to the Guwahati High Court regarding the case.
The ruling of Justices Amitava Roy and B. D. Agarwal at Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
High Court on August 31, 2010 has allowed the State Government to open and act upon an inquiry report on the facts and circumstances leading to the brutal killing and rape of Thangjam Manorama Devi by Assam Rifles soldiers.