IMPHAL, Jul 25: A public meeting on the ‘Escalation of crimes against women and children in Thoubal district’ was held at Khongjom bazaar community hall organized by the JAC against the brutal killing of Ningombam Ningol Sarangthem Ongbi Renubala and her daughter Alva.

The presidium members at the meeting were Pradhan Sapam Rameshwor, Soibam Ibetombi, a member of the Zilla Parishad Langathel, Khundrakpam Yaimabi, the president of the JAC, Memchoubi of the Poirel Laimarol Meira Paibi Lup, Paonam Brojel, a social worker, Sitara Begum, and Ak Janaki.

Organisations including the HERICOUN, Centre for Social Development, UCM, New Life Foundation and NIPCO also took part in the meeting.

The resource persons said during the meeting that during the past few years the crimes against women and children in the state had risen alarmingly. The recent murder of a woman and her daughter at Thoubal by administering them poison by her husband and in-laws was similar to the dowry system killings in other parts of the country. People in the state were apprehensive that the dowry system may influence the masses and pose a threat to married women, it was mentioned.

It had also been seen that such incidents of crimes against women and children were becoming commonplace especially in Thoubal, among the other districts in Manipur. In most cases the mother-in-laws and other female members of the family were involved, thereby calling for a need to educate the women against committing such atrocities against their own sex. The mothers-in-law should treat their daughters-in-law as their own daughters and vice versa, the speakers said while adding that people in the neighborhood should also play their part in keeping a check on their neighboring families whenever any problem arose.

The meeting attended by around 500 people took some resolutions including holding of a meeting with the chief minister in regards to stopping crimes against women and children, asking the authorities to take measures to stop crimes against women and children, and to work with the numerous other JACs formed in Thoubal against crimes against women and children to stop such occurrences.