Assam extends 'disturbed area' status for six more months

The Assam government has declared the entire state as "Disturbed Area" for another six months.

The state government in a statement stated, “The Government of Assam in exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 has declared the entire State of Assam as ‘’Disturbed Area’’ upto six months with effect from 28-08-2021 unless withdrawn earlier.”

Assam has in recent times seen a large number of insurgent groups coming over ground. Last year the government inked accord with Bodo militant outfits. Recently the pact was inked with Karbi militant outfits.

Militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom - Independent (Ulfa-I) unilaterally declared a ceasefire. Militant outfit Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA), has declared unilateral ceasefire for six months following peace overtures of the Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Suspected DNLA militants killed five persons and injured one in Assam’s Dima Hasao last month.

A senior officer in the Assam government who does not want to be named told ET. “ A section of Security forces engaged in counter insurgency operation in Assam favours continuation of AFSPA in the entire Assam.”

In Manipur, AFSPA is in force, except in seven assembly constituencies of Imphal. In Arunachal Pradesh, areas under AFSPA have been halved to those under eight police stations, besides Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts.

While AFSPA has been lifted from Tripura and Meghalaya, in Nagaland there is widespread demand to withdraw the Act from the state.