Nagaland declared 'disturbed' for six months under AFSPA

New Delhi: The entire state of Nagaland has been declared a "disturbed area" for six more months, till June-end, under the controversial AFSPA which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice.

In a notification, the Home Ministry said the central government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in

such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary.

"Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the central government hereby declares that whole of the said state to be a 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from December 30, 2019 for the purpose of that Act," it said.

A home ministry official said the decision to continue the declaration of Nagaland as "disturbed area" has been taken as killings, loot and extortion have been going on in various parts of the state which necessitated the action for the convenience of the security forces operating there.

There have been demands from various organisations in the Northeast as well as in Jammu and Kashmir for repealing the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which, they say, gives "sweeping powers" to security forces.