NEW DELHI, 1 Oct: The Centre has declared three districts of Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling under two police stations in another district “disturbed” under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for six more months in view of the insurgent activities and review of the law and order situation there, officials said.
The union home ministry’s notification will be effective from 1 October, 2021 to 31 March, 2022.
This is for the first time after a long period that the AFSPA will not be applicable to two police stations in another two districts – Lower Dibang and Lohit – in view of the improved security situation, a home ministry official said on Friday.
The central government, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (28 of 1958) had declared Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and the areas falling within the jurisdictions of four police stations – two in Namsai district and one each in Lower Dibang Valley and Lohit districts bordering Assam – as “disturbed area” through a notification on 1 April.
The ministry has carried out a further review of the law and order situation in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and in the areas falling within the jurisdictions of the four police stations in other districts bordering Assam recently.
“Now, therefore, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam, are declared as ”disturbed area” under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from 01.10.2021 to 31.03.2022 unless withdrawn earlier,” the notification said.
The AFSPA is imposed in areas where armed forces are required to operate in aid to civil authorities.
For the AFSPA to become valid, an area, however, needs to be declared ‘disturbed’ either by the central or the state governments under Section 3 of the 1958 Act.
Some parts of Arunachal Pradesh have the presence of banned militant outfits like the NSCN, the ULFA and the NDFB, another official said. (PTI)
