AFSPA Extended In Nagaland For Six Months, State Declared In 'Disturbed And Dangerous' Condition

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act gives sweeping power to the security forces to opearte freely iny of the area that has been decalred a "disturbed area."

Villagers burn vehicles belonging to security personnel after civilians were killed in Mon district of Nagaland. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been extended by six more months in Nagaland starting today by the Centre. This comes at a time when a court of inquiry is already underway into the botched-up army operation that took place in Oting village of Mon district in the state which left 14 civilians dead.

Recently Centre also constituted a high-level committee to examine the possibility of the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Nagaland.

A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs read: "Whereas the Central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of the State of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary”.

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Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 (AFSPA) has been extended in Nagaland for 6 months with effect from today.

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- Prasar Bharati News Services (@pbns_india) 30 Dec 2021

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act gives sweeping power to the security forces to operate freely in anywhere that has been declared a "disturbed area." 

The Act gives immunity to any military personnel working in such an area where AFSPA has been invoked from persecution until sanctioned by the Centre.

Meanwhile, protests for the withdrawal of the AFSPA have been going on in several districts of Nagaland ever since an Army killed 14 civilians in the state's Mon district earlier this month, mistaking them as insurgents.