AFSPA to remain imposed for 6 more months in Arunachal, Nagaland
While Nagaland has a total 16 districts, Arunachal Pradesh has 26.
NEW DELHI- The Centre on Friday extended for another six months the application of the “disturbed area” under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act – AFSPA in 3 district of Arunachal Pradesh and 9 districts of Nagaland, and some parts of five other districts of the two states to facilitate anti-insurgency operations, PTI report said.
In a notification issued by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), it is said that the AFSPA will be extended for six months beginning October 1 in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam.
In another notification, the MHA said the application of the “disturbed area” under the AFSPA will continue for six more months from Saturday in nine districts of Nagaland — Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto — and 16 police stations in four other districts — Kohima, Mokokchung, Longleng and Wokha — of Nagaland.
While Nagaland has a total 16 districts, Arunachal Pradesh has 26.
The AFSPA-1958 empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.
The reduction of jurisdiction of AFSPA came in April this year following the recommendation of a high-level committee constituted to examine the possibility of lifting of the AFSPA after the killing of 14 civilians by the Army in Nagaland’s Mon district in December 2021 in a case of “mistaken identity”.
