Manipur Govt Appeals To Centre For Withdrawal Of AFSPA From Six ‘Disturbed’ Areas

The Central government has reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in six of Manipur’s police station areas, including Jiribam, which has been hit by violence.

Smoke and flames billow out of vehicles that were set on fire during demonstrations after three bodies, suspected to be of six missing persons from Jiribam district, were found near the Manipur-Assam border on Friday night, in Imphal, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.

Source : PTI

The Manipur government has pledged the Centre to review and withdraw AFSPA from areas coming under the sovereignty of six police stations in the state, an official stated on Saturday.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the Centre has reimposed the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in six of Manipur’s police station areas, including Jiribam, which has been hit by violence.

A letter from the Joint Secretary (Home) to the Centre, highlights that "the state cabinet has deliberated upon the same (reimposition of AFSPA) in its meeting held on November 15 and has decided to recommend to the Central government to review and withdraw the said declaration of areas falling under the jurisdiction of six police stations in the state as disturbed areas under Section 3 of AFSPA 1958."

"It is accordingly requested to kindly review and withdraw the notification dated 14-11-2024 in the public interest," it added.

On November 14, the Ministry of Home Affairs reimposed AFSPA in areas falling under Sekmai PS and Lamsang PS in Imphal West district, Lamlai in Imphal East, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, Moirang in Bishnupur and Jiribam in Jiribam district.

The Union government's notification on the reimposition of AFSPA coincided with the Manipur police's announcement of a major arms and ammunition seizure in the Jiribam and Churachandpur districts of Manipur.

Police Seizes Weapons From Jiribam

Police seized a 2-inch mortar, 36 live barrel cartridges, and five empty barrel cartridges in the Narayanpur, Champanagar, and Thangboipunjre areas of Jiribam district on Wednesday during cordon and search operations, according to a police statement.

The police also stated that the recovery of a .303 rifle, a 9mm pistol, two short-range homemade cannons, two long-range homemade cannons, five AK-47 live rounds, two 9mm live rounds, four 12-bore cartridges, and 18 modified live rounds of a .303 rifle from H Kotlian village in Churachandpur district.

A region is declared "disturbed" under AFSPA to enable the armed forces to carry out operations effectively. The act grants the armed forces extensive powers to search, detain, and open fire if necessary to maintain public order. The decision to reimpose AFSPA was prompted by the persistent unrest and ethnic violence, the Union Home Ministry stated in its notification.

The Manipur government imposed AFSPA in the entire state on October 1, leaving 19 police station areas that included these six.

The police stations excluded from the order of the Manipur government were Lamphal City, Imphal, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, Jiribam.

On Monday, the Manipur police stated that 10 suspected militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with security forces after insurgents in camouflage uniforms and armed with sophisticated weapons fired indiscriminately at a police station and an adjacent CRPF camp in the Jiribam district of Manipur.

The suspected militants reportedly abducted 6 civilians, including children and women from the same district.