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Manipur data mask scale of crimes against women in 2023

Why is it in News ?

  • The 2023 NCRB report on Manipur presents a striking anomaly:
    • While most categories of crime skyrocketed during the ethnic conflict,
    • Crimes against women reportedly declined by 30% — contradicting eyewitness reports, FIRs, and the Supreme Court’s own observations of widespread sexual violence.
  • The data exposes a major crisis of underreporting and institutional breakdown in conflict zones.

Relevance:

  • GS-1 (Social Issues): Gender-based violence, womens safety, conflict impact on vulnerable populations.
  • GS-2 (Polity & Governance): Institutional failures, NCRB data integrity, Supreme Court interventions, law enforcement accountability.

The 2023 Manipur Ethnic Conflict

  • Conflict began: May 3, 2023
  • Parties involved:
    • Meitei community (valley-based, largely Hindu)
    • Kuki-Zo tribes (hill-based, largely Christian)
  • Trigger: Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
  • Impact:
    • Over 200 deaths and 70,000 displaced (as per government & media estimates).
    • Massive destruction of property, arson, and targeted violence.
    • Reports of systemic gender-based violence amid the conflict.

Supreme Court’s Observation (July 2023)

  • The apex court termed the sexual violence in Manipur as of systemic” and unprecedented magnitude.
  • Ordered:
    • Special investigation teams (SITs) under the supervision of former High Court judges.
    • Transfer of some cases to the CBI, including those involving sexual violence against women.
    • Emphasis on victim protection and fair trial mechanisms.

Key NCRB Data (Manipur, 2022 vs 2023)

Category of Crime 2022 2023 % Change / Observation
Arson 27 6,203 22,800%
Rioting 84 5,421 6,350%
Dacoity 1 1,213 Massive rise
Murder 47 151 221%
Attempt to Murder 153 818 434%
Robbery 7 330 4,614%
Burglary 39 183 369%
Theft 1,286 2,394 86%
Crimes under Arms Act 64 116 81%
Promoting enmity between groups 15 473 3,053%
Crimes Against Women (overall) ↓ 30% decline

Contradiction:

Despite extensive media coverage and legal action highlighting sexual violence, NCRB recorded:

  • Rape cases: 42 → 27
  • Assault on womens modesty: 67 → 66
  • Sexual harassment: 5 → 1
  • POCSO (minor rape): 44 → 43

Ground Reports of Gendered Violence

  • Multiple verified cases indicate widespread sexual crimes despite official denials:
    • May 4, 2023: Women working at a car wash in Imphal East tortured by a mob (FIR accessed by The Hindu).
    • Kuki-Zo legislators’ statement (July 2023): At least four incidents of rape/murder of Kuki women.
    • Complaints to NCW and civil groups:
      • Harassment of Kuki-Zomi women on Manipur University campus.
      • Assaults at Nightingale Nursing Institute.
      • Alleged rape and murder of four women in Imphal.

Reasons for Underreporting

  1. Institutional Collapse:
    1. Police and administrative systems fragmented along ethnic lines, eroding neutrality.
    2. Displacement of communities meant many survivors had no access to police stations.
  2. Social Stigma and Fear:
    1. Strong cultural taboo against reporting sexual violence, worsened by community conflict.
    2. Fear of retaliation and lack of witness protection.
  3. Data Suppression:
    1. Local police reluctant to register cases that implicate dominant groups or security forces.
  4. Technical Classification:
    1. Many incidents recorded under rioting” or violence, not as sexual crimes.
  5. Displacement Barrier:
    1. Many victims in relief camps or migrated out of the state — FIRs never registered or pursued.

Implications

  • Humanitarian: Survivors denied justice and trauma care.
  • Institutional: NCRB’s credibility questioned — data may not reflect real ground situation in conflict zones.
  • Constitutional: Violation of Article 21 (Right to Life with Dignity) and Article 14 (Equality before Law).
  • Judicial: Reinforces the Supreme Court’s finding of a systemic failure of law enforcement.

Broader Pattern

  • Underreporting of sexual violence is a national issue, but the Manipur case amplifies it due to:
    • Militarization and ethnic polarisation.
    • Collapsed trust in state machinery.
    • Lack of gender-sensitive policing in emergencies.
  • Similar patterns seen in conflict zones like Kashmir (1990s) and Northeast insurgencies.

Way Forward

  1. Independent Investigations:
    1. Expand Supreme Court-monitored SITs and CBI probes.
    2. Involve NHRC and NCW for transparent documentation.
  2. Conflict-Sensitive Policing:
    1. Deploy gender-balanced police teams trained for humanitarian and relief contexts.
  3. Data Reform:
    1. NCRB must annotate conflict-related cases separately to avoid statistical distortion.
  4. Survivor-Centric Approach:
    1. Ensure psychological counselling, compensation, and rehabilitation for victims.
    2. Witness and survivor protection under the Victim Compensation Scheme (2015).
  5. Accountability:
    1. Fix command responsibility for non-registration of FIRs.
    2. Periodic judicial audits of police response in conflict zones.

Conclusion

The 2023 Manipur data exposes a deep institutional and moral failure — where recorded statistics obscure lived realities.
While the State burned and women were brutalized, official data painted a false picture of safety.
This disjuncture between record and reality underscores the urgent need for transparent data governance, accountable policing, and gender-sensitive conflict resolution mechanisms to restore trust and justice in Manipur.


October 2025
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