Manipur: A 20‑year‑old survivor of a brutal gangrape during the 2023 ethnic violence in the state has died, more than two years after the assault left her with severe, life‑altering injuries. Her death on January 10 in Singhat has reignited questions about the pace of justice and the state of ongoing investigations.
The young woman — referred to as Kim* to protect her identity — had been battling complications linked to the injuries she sustained during her abduction and assault. Family members say she “never fully recovered,” physically or emotionally, from the trauma inflicted nearly three years ago.
A Case Lost in Delay
Her ordeal first came to national attention when two women, along with the North American Manipur Tribal Association, submitted a complaint to the National Commission for Women (NCW).
In July 2023, she recorded her statement with the Manipur Police, after which a Zero FIR was registered and the case was transferred to the CBI on July 22.
Yet, despite the gravity of the crime and the involvement of the country’s premier investigative agency, no arrests have been made to date. The investigation remains stalled, leaving the family with unanswered questions and a deep sense of abandonment.
‘She Lived in Constant Fear’
Kim’s mother, Lhingnei Haokip, described the devastating transformation in her daughter’s life after the assault. Once cheerful, social, and full of energy, Kim gradually withdrew into herself.
She struggled with chronic pain and breathing difficulties — complications her family believes stemmed directly from the injuries she suffered during the attack.
“She was always smiling before,” her mother said. “After that night, she lost her smile.”
The family says Kim lived with persistent fear, trauma, and a sense of being forgotten by the system meant to protect her.
A Death That Raises Hard Questions
Her passing has intensified public anger over the lack of progress in cases of sexual violence during the Manipur conflict. Activists and community groups argue that the absence of arrests, even after formal complaints and national attention, reflects a deeper institutional failure.
For Kim’s family, the fight is now twofold: mourning a daughter whose life was cut short, and demanding accountability for a crime that remains unpunished.
Her death stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of delayed justice — and of a system that too often leaves survivors to carry their trauma alone.