AFSPA now fully applicable only in 31 districts of 4 NE states

Tribune News Service

Mukesh Ranjan

New Delhi, April 1

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) will now be applicable fully only in 31 districts and partially in 12 districts of four states in the Northeast — Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh — according to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). These four states together comprise 90 districts.

‘Disturbed area’ cut

• The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was completely withdrawn in Meghalaya in 2018, Tripura in 2015 and Mizoram in the 1980s
• ‘Disturbed area’ under the controversial law was reduced on Thursday
• In December last year, 14 civilians were killed in a botched Army operation in Nagaland’s Mon district

The AFSPA 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.

In two separate notifications issued late on Thursday, the MHA said Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, Peren and Zunheboto districts in Nagaland and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of police stations of Khuzama, Kohima North, Kohima South, Zubza and Kezocha in Kohima district, Mangkolemba, Mokokchung-I, Longtho, Tuli, Longchem and Anaki ‘C’ in Mokokchung district, Yanglok in Longleng district and Bhandari, Champang, Ralan and Sungro in Wokha district were declared “disturbed area” under AFSPA for six months with effect from April 1. Nagaland has 15 districts. The “disturbed area” notification has been in force in the entire state since 1995.

For Arunachal Pradesh, the MHA said Tirap, Changlang and Longing districts, and the areas falling under Namsai and Mahadevour police stations in Namsai district bordering Assam had been declared “disturbed” for six months starting April 1. There are 26 districts in Arunachal Pradesh.

For Assam, a notification was issued by the state government, which said the “disturbed area” tag under AFSPA had been withdrawn completely from 23 districts and one subdivision. There are 33 districts in the state. The “disturbed area” will be applicable in nine districts and one subdivision. They are Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao districts and Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district. The “disturbed area” notification is in force in entire Assam since 1990.

The Manipur Government has also issued a similar notification, where it said the “disturbed area” tag would no longer be applicable in seven police station areas of Imphal West district, four of Imphal East district and one in districts of Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam. There are 16 districts in Manipur.

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