The Centre on Wednesday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) to three districts in Arunachal Pradesh and its eight police station areas bordering Assam by another six months, declaring them as ‘disturbed area’.
Issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the notification said AFSPA has been extended in Changlang, Tirap and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and the eight police stations bordering Assam up to March 31, 2019.
Hence, Changlang, Tirap and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and the areas falling within the jurisdiction of the following eight police stations in the 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under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 up to March 31, 2019 w.e.f. October 1, 2018, unless withdrawn earlier,” the notification said.
The police stations include Balemu and Bhalukpong in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district, Seijosa in East Kameng district, Balijan in Papumpare district, Namsai and Mahadevpur in Namsai district, Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district and Sunpura in Lohit district.
The decision was taken after a review of the law and order situation in the three districts and eight police station areas concerned, a home ministry official said.
The AFSPA gives special powers to the Indian Armed Forces in ‘disturbed areas’.
