Centre reimposes AFSPA in 6 areas in Manipur
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New Delhi: Claiming a continuous volatile situation due to ongoing ethnic violence, the Centre reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur's six police station areas. The Union Home Ministry announced this through a notification, PTI reported.
The police station areas where AFSPA has been reimposed are Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West district, Lamlai in Imphal East district, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi and Moirang in Bishnupur.
On October 1, the Manipur government imposed AFSPA in the entire state except 19 police station areas, including the fresh six. The police stations excluded from the Manipur government's October 1 order were Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, Jiribam.
There was an intense gunfight between security forces on Monday after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at a police station and an adjacent CRPF camp in Manipur's Jiribam district. The incident ended up killing eleven suspected militants.
A day later, six civilians, including women and children, were abducted by armed militants from the same district.
An area or district is notified as "disturbed" under AFSPA to facilitate the operations of the armed forces. AFSPA gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary for the "maintenance of public order".
There have been protests and demands for the complete withdrawal of AFSPA from the northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged "draconian" provisions.
Manipuri activist Irom Chanu Sharmila fought against the law by being on hunger strike for 16 years before ending it on August 9, 2016
More than 200 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and adjoining hills-based Kuki-Zo groups since May last year.