AFSPA withdrawn from most parts of northeast: Govt

New Delhi: The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which gives sweeping powers to the armed forces operating in disturbed areas to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary, has been removed from most parts of the northeast, except a few districts and some police station areas, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for home Nityanand Rai said there has been a considerable reduction in the number of “disturbed areas” under the AFSPA and the law has been withdrawn completely from Tripura (from May 27, 2015) and Meghalaya (April 1, 2018). The AFSPA has also been withdrawn from all districts except four in Assam, he said. The AFSPA has been withdrawn gradually in Arunachal Pradesh and it is currently applicable only in three police station areas in Namsai district and three other districts. Compared to 2014, there has been 71 per cent reduction in insurgency incidents, 60 per cent decrease in the number of security forces personnel deaths and 82 per cent decrease in civilian fatalities in 2023,” Rai said.