The controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended by six months throughout Assam and in the 20km-wide belt in Meghalaya bordering Assam, with the Centre declaring that the “disturbed area” status, which has been in force since 1990, will continue.
In a gazette notification, the Union home ministry said the law and order situation in Assam has continued to be a matter of concern due to violent acts by rebel outfits. From January to September, different militant groups were involved in 66 incidents of violence in Assam, resulting in the killing of 29 people, the home ministry said. The Central government had first imposed AFSPA in Assam by declaring the entire state as a “disturbed area” on November 27, 1990 when the insurgency, led by ULFA, was at its peak. The then Prafulla Kumar Mahanta-led AGP government was subsequently dismissed by the Centre and President’s rule was imposed.
“The militant outfits operating in the area continue to have been making constant efforts to regroup, re-strengthen and intensified their efforts for recruitment/infiltration of new cadres into the state and indulging in coercive extortion targeting businessmen, tea garden owners, contractors, commercial vehicles, timber smugglers, transporters and even government officials and politicians,” the notification said.
The NDFB(S) militants shot dead 14 civilians and injured 19 others in Kokrajhar town on August 5.
ULFA(I) cadres also shot dead two persons in Tinsukia district and orchestrated five and two IED explosions in Tinsukia and Charaideo districts respectively on August 12. “Now, therefore, the entire state of Assam and the 20 kms wide belt in the State of Meghalaya bordering Assam shall continue to be ‘disturbed area’ under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 up to six months beyond November 3, 2016, unless withdrawn earlier,” the notification said.
