Modi govt reimposes AFSPA in six police station areas of violence-hit Manipur
New Delhi: The BJP-led Indian government has reimposed the draconian Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in six police station areas of the violence-hit Manipur state.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in a notification, the Indian Home Ministry said the decision was taken given the continuous volatile situation in the areas due to the ongoing ethnic violence in the state.
The six police station areas where AFSPA has been reintroduced include Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West, Lamlai in Imphal East, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi, and Moirang in Bishnupur district.
The reimposition of AFSPA comes after the BJP-led Manipur government had earlier imposed the controversial law across the entire state on October 1, 2023. The AFSPA gives emergency powers to the military and paramilitary forces in the state, granting them authority to arrest without warrants and search properties, among other powers.
The decision to reimpose AFSPA comes at a time of heightened violence in the state. On Monday, Indian forces reportedly killed 11 people from the Christian-majority Kuki tribes during what they described as a fierce gunfight in Jiribam district. The following day, six civilians, including women and children, were abducted by unidentified armed men in the same district. These incidents have raised concerns over the safety of civilians, particularly the Kuki communities, who have been disproportionately affected by the ongoing ethnic conflict.
Since May 2023, Manipur has been embroiled in violent ethnic clashes between the predominantly Hindu Meitei community and the Kuki tribal groups, who are mostly Christian. The violence has led to the deaths of over 200 people, primarily from the Kuki groups, and displaced thousands, many of whom have sought refuge in makeshift camps.
