The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which had been extended to the disturbed areas of Arunachal Pradesh last year, will remain in force till September.
The Ministry of Home Affairs in a notification on Wednesday said that the Central government has decided to retain the 1958 Act in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh — Tirap, Changlang and Longding — and the area falling within the jurisdiction of four police stations, after a review of the situation.
The four police station areas include Namsai and Mahadevpur in Namsai district, Roing in Lower Dibang Valley district and Sunpura in Lohit district. They were declared ‘disturbed areas’ in October last year.
AFSPA grants uncontrolled powers to the armed forces to maintain public order and security in disturbed areas.
Though there is no insurgent group based out of Arunachal Pradesh, parts of the state have presence of members of the banned militant groups of the neighboring states of Assam and Nagaland.
The disturbed areas in Arunachal Pradesh have witnessed militant activities carried out by NSCN, ULFA and NDFB.
