Rs 5 crore released for survivors of sexual assault: Manipur government informs Supreme Court

The Manipur Government disclosed to the Supreme Court on November 20 that it has deposited Rs 5 crore into a dedicated bank account for compensating women who are survivors of sexual assault and other crimes. These crimes have been occurring since May 3, coinciding with the outbreak of ethnic violence in the State.

The State Government's affidavit, however, failed to mention the number of women who have received compensation to date. In September, the Court directed the State Government to identify all religious structures in the State. The ethnic conflict between the tribal Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people has resulted in at least 180 fatalities since May 3.

The State reported to the apex Court in August that the Central Bureau of Investigation was probing 20 cases related to the molestation, rape, and murder of women. Following the Supreme Court's instructions, the Manipur Government announced an enhanced compensation scheme for women victims and survivors of sexual assault and other crimes in September.

The compensation for victims who were either killed or gang-raped ranges from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. For other crimes, such as rape, sexual assault, and injuries like loss of limbs or body parts, the compensation varies from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 9 lakh.

The State Government of Manipur has submitted a 'short affidavit' to the Court, indicating the measures taken for the identification of religious buildings across all 16 districts. This comes following the violence that began on May 3, affecting Churches, Hindu temples, Sanamahi temples, Mosques, and other religious structures.

The Court had earlier called for the protection of these places from encroachment and destruction. The affidavit, dated October 16, reveals that inspections could not be carried out in Noney and Senapati districts due to the current circumstances.

It only confirms that directives for identifying all religious buildings in the State, whether intact or vandalised, have been dispatched. In August, the State had reported to the Court that approximately 386 religious institutions from both communities had suffered damage, with further assessment underway.