Guwahati, Mar 30 (PTI) The Assam government on Sunday said it has extended application of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in three districts of the state for six more months after a review of the law and order situation.
The government, however, withdrew the controversial law from Dibrugarh district as the situation “improved” there.
Home and Political Department Secretary Debaprasad Misra in an order stated that the four districts were kept under the AFSPA since October 8 last year as “Disturbed Area” after withdrawing the act from the rest of the state.
“Following the receipt of reports from various security agencies, it has been observed that the overall security situation in Assam has significantly improved, particularly over the last three and a half years, due to the sustained efforts and proactive counter-insurgency measures by the Assam Police and security forces,” it added.
In light of these improvements, the Government of Assam believes that the “Disturbed Area” status under the AFSPA need not be extended in Dibrugarh district beyond March 31, 2025, the order stated.
“Despite these improvements, there have been sporadic incidents of IEDs being planted by ULFA (I), the only militant group active in the state, in various districts, alongside their involvement in kidnapping for ransom to fund their activities,” Misra said in the notification.
Therefore, the Government of Assam recommended that the “Disturbed Area” status under AFSPA be continued for an additional six months in the three districts of Tinsukia, Charaideo and Sivasagar.
The AFSPA was first imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then after a review by the state government.
The act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior warrant. It also gives a certain level of immunity to the security forces in case of an operation going wrong.
Civil society groups and rights activists have been demanding withdrawal of the “draconian law” from the entire North East claiming violation of human rights by the armed forces.
The cry to repeal the act gained renewed momentum following the death of 14 civilians in firing by security forces in a botched anti-insurgency operation and retaliatory violence in Mon district of Nagaland on December 4, 2021. PTI TR NN
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