The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in certain districts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months with effect from April 1, officials said on Thursday.
A Nagaland government official, quoting the MHA notification, said that the AFSPA was extended in 8 districts - Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek, and Peren - and 21 police station areas in five other districts of Nagaland, which has 16 districts.
Another MHA notification said that the AFSPA has been extended for another six months in Tirap, Changlang, and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh as well as areas under the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur, and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district, bordering Assam.
The official said that the Centre took the step following a review of the law and order situation in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
The AFSPA empowers the Army, para-military, and other security forces to arrest a person without a warrant, enter or search premises without a warrant, along with some other actions.
With the improvement in the security situation in the northeastern states, the Centre, in April 2022, reduced the number of disturbed areas under AFSPA in many areas of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.
It was lifted from Tripura in 2015, Meghalaya in 2018 and Mizoram in the 1980s.
Many political parties, NGOs, and civil society organisations in the northeastern region have been demanding its complete repeal. The demand intensified after security forces killed 14 people and injured 30 others in Nagaland's Mon district in December 2021 in a case of "mistaken identity".
2 CRPF personnel killed in attack by armed group in Manipur
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were killed and two others have been injured after armed groups attacked a camp of security forces in Manipur’s Bishnupur district early on Saturday, police said.
Land subsidence leaves 350 people homeless in J&K’s Ramban District
Over 350 people in Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K’s) Ramban District abandoned their homes on Saturday after destruction of the houses due to land subsidence.
Houthi leader vows to continue maritime attacks, calls Indian Ocean 'new theatre of confrontation'
Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthi group, has vowed to continue its naval operations in the Red Sea, rejecting media reports suggesting a decrease in Houthi maritime attacks, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
Second phase of Lok Sabha polls sees enthusiastic voter turnout from Jammu to Kerala, Maharashtra to Tripura
The BJP, holding a significant number of seats in this phase, considers these elections crucial for maintaining and expanding its influence to secure a substantial majority in the Lok Sabha.
EC suspends 26 Tripura govt staff for taking part in political events, violation of poll code
The Election Commission (EC) has so far suspended 26 Tripura government employees, including security personnel, for participating in political events, election campaigns, and violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC),
Massive crowd greets PM Modi in Bareilly roadshow
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a massive roadshow in Bareilly to garner support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Chhatrapal Gangwar.
Police revolver among large cache of arms seized from Sandeshkhali, claims CBI
A Colt official police revolver was among a large cache of firearms seized by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from a house at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Paragans, the CBI claimed in a statement issued on Friday evening.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.