Centre extends AFSPA in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh

The Centre has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh besides four police station areas in three other districts bordering Assam by another six months, and declared them "disturbed" in view of continuing activities of banned insurgent groups.

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and four police stations bordering Assam were declared "disturbed" areas under the AFSPA.

"Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the following four police stations in other districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering the state of Assam, are declared as 'disturbed area' under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 up to September 30, 2021 with effect from April 1, 2021, unless withdrawn earlier," the notification said.

The four police stations are Namsai and Mahadevpur police stations in Namsai district, Roing police station in Lower Dibang Valley district and Sunpura police station in Lohit district.

The decision was taken following a review of the law and order situation in the three districts and the four police station areas concerned, a home ministry official said.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to arrest a person without a warrant, enter or search a premises without a warrant along with some other actions.

Banned insurgent groups National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K), United Liberation Front Of Assam (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) are active in these areas of Arunachal Pradesh.