The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to investigate nine more cases related to ethnic violence in Manipur, which will take the total number of cases probed by the CBI to 17.
Manipur Violence
Notably, any other case related to crime against women or sexual assault may be referred to the probe agency on priority.
The CBI has registered eight cases so far which include two related to alleged sexual assault on women in the state.
The agency is likely to take over one more case of alleged sexual assault in Churachandpur district. According to officials, the CBI is facing the critical task of avoiding allegations of bias during the Manipur operation since any involvement of people from one community will result in fingers pointed from the other side.
The central probe agency has mobilised women officers in the state for investigation of cases related to crimes against women.
More than 160 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3.