The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in specified areas of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur for another six months from October 1, amid volatile situations. The AFSPA will remain in effect in these areas for six months from October 1, unless withdrawn earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) gazette notification said.
AFSPA extended in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh: Details
In Manipur, the AFSPA has been declared across the state, excluding areas under the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five districts. The excluded areas are those under the jurisdictions of Imphal, Lamphel, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, and Wangoi police stations in Imphal West District; Porompat, Heingang, and Irilbung police stations in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal district; Bishnupur and Nambol police stations in Bishnupur district; and Kakching police station in Kakching district, PTI reported.
In Nagaland, the AFSPA has been extended to nine districts: Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren, and Meluri. They have been declared "disturbed areas" under Section 3 of the Act, the notification said. The notification also covers areas under 21 police stations in five other districts in Nagaland: Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng, Wokha, and Zunheboto.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the AFSPA has been extended in the Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts.
'AFSPA to be removed from Northeast next year'
The Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier said that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, will be removed from the entire Northeast next year, barring one or two states. “I am fully confident that, except for one or two states, we will be able to completely remove AFSPA from the entire Northeast next year. Even today, more than 80 per cent of the Northeast region has already been freed from AFSPA," he said.
Highlighting that the signing of the MoU was a "historic moment", Amit Shah said the government has removed the last hurdle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed Northeast. The MoU is aimed at undertaking oil and mineral explorations in the disputed area belt (DAB) along the Assam-Nagaland border.
Four bullet-ridden bodies found in Manipur
The bullet-ridden bodies of four men were recovered from Manipur's Kamjong district in the early hours of Friday. The deceased -- Vareishim Jajo, Phami Jajo, Betterson Jajo, and Ningthem Kashak -- belonged to the Tangkhul Naga community, they said. Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has condemned the killing, saying that "such acts of violence have no place in our society and will not be tolerated".
Also Read:
Centre defers census exercise in Manipur amid demand for NRC first by civil society groups
