The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six more months in the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, and Sivasagar in Assam.
Photo: IANS
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six more months in the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, and Sivasagar in Assam. The decision comes in the wake of recent instability in neighbouring Bangladesh, which the state government fears could negatively affect internal security.
According to a notification issued on Tuesday, despite significant improvements in state’s security landscape over the last few years, including reduced insurgency-related violence, concerns remain about potential spillover effects from the unrest in Bangladesh.
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Citing reports from various intelligence agencies, the Assam government recommended maintaining the AFSPA in these four districts to prevent any deterioration in law and order. The notification also stated that the Assam government had submitted a formal request to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which agreed to retain the status quo.
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As a result, the districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, and Sivasagar will remain designated as “disturbed areas” under the AFSPA for another six months, starting from October 1, 2024. AFSPA, which was first imposed in Assam in November 1990, grants the armed forces the authority to carry out operations and arrest individuals without warrants in areas deemed “disturbed.”
Though the act was lifted from several districts, including Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao last year, the four remaining districts continue under its jurisdiction.
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