Massive protests take place against mob assaults on women in India’s remote northeastern state

By ASHOK SHARMA and SHONAL GANGULY
Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Thousands of people including mostly women have held a massive sit-in in India’s violence-wracked northeastern state of Manipur demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in the harrowing mob assaults on two women who were paraded naked. Religious and women organization leaders addressed nearly 15,000 protesters who also called for the sacking of Biren Singh, the top elected official in the state where more than 130 people have been killed since violence between two dominant ethnic groups erupted in early May. A video showing the two naked women surrounded by scores of young men who grope their genitals and drag them to a field triggered outrage. The state government announced the arrest of a fifth suspects on Saturday.