AFSPA Extended in Manipur Amid Ongoing Security Concerns
Extension of AFSPA in Manipur
File image of security forces patrolling in Manipur hill districts. (AT Photo)
New Delhi, Sept 26: The Indian government has decided to prolong the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur for an additional six months starting from October 1. This extension maintains the majority of the state under the designation of 'disturbed area,' while excluding regions covered by 13 police stations across five districts.
This decision was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 25, following an assessment of the current law and order situation. The extension will be effective until March 31, 2027, unless it is revoked sooner.
The areas that are exempt from AFSPA include police stations in City, Imphal, Lamphel, Singjamei, Patsoi, and Wangoi in Imphal West; Heingang, Irilbung, and Porompat in Imphal East; Thoubal police station in Thoubal; Bishnupur and Nambol in Bishnupur district; and Kakching police station in Kakching district.
AFSPA grants armed forces the authority to conduct operations, including searches and arrests, in regions classified as 'disturbed' under specific legal provisions.
This law has been in effect in Manipur since the early 1980s, although its geographical scope has been gradually reduced over time.
In 2004, AFSPA was lifted from the Imphal Municipality area, which encompasses seven Assembly constituencies.
In April 2022, the government removed the law from areas under 15 police stations across six districts, and four additional police station areas were excluded from the 'disturbed area' designation effective April 1, 2023.
The recent extension occurs against a backdrop of ongoing security issues and new incidents of violence within the state.
Recently, four civilians lost their lives in an attack at Pilong village in Kamjong district, located near the India-Myanmar border.
Officials reported that unidentified armed individuals, believed to be affiliated with a Myanmar-based rebel group, entered the village and opened fire on the residents. Police and security personnel later recovered the bodies.
Additionally, just two days prior, a 36-year-old civilian electricity lineman was killed during intense gunfire in and around Lasan and Songpibung villages along the IT Road corridor.
Reports indicate that several Naga villages along the Noney-Kangpokpi-Senapati route were also attacked, prompting residents to flee from certain areas.
The recent surge in violence has heightened security apprehensions in the state, where armed confrontations, assaults, and community tensions persist in various hill districts.