The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six months in parts of Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh due to the prevailing law and order situation.
The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary.
According to two separate notifications, the decisions have been taken after review of the law-and-order situation in both the states.
China has long coveted Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls Southern Tibet. But, as Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan explains, in 1947, the present state of Arunachal Pradesh constituted the North East Frontier Tract of Assam. When India adopted its Constitution on 26 January 1950, NEFT became 'a separate politico-administrative entity' although it was constitutionally still a part of Assam. Its administration was brought directly under the President of India with the Governor of Assam acting as his agent. A revealing excerpt from his book The Origin Story of India's States.
"The Air Force has confirmed that the wreckage of the missing helicopter has been found 12 km south of Khonsa, the headquarters of Tirap district," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said in New Delhi.
One soldier of Assam Rifles was injured in the operation and his condition is stated to be stable, they said. The encounter took place in the jungle between Nginu and Ngissa villages of Longding, officials in Arunachal Pradesh said.
Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh and eight police stations bordering Assam were declared "disturbed" areas under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), 1958.
A helicopter of state-run Pawan Hans with three persons on board including a senior police officer on Tuesday went missing for a while before being spotted in a dense forest.
AFSPA confers special powers on the armed forces in areas deemed as disturbed.
Apart from Aboh's son, the deceased included some other family members of the MLA.
The AFSPA will continue to remain in force in 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh for six more months.
Three Army personnel were killed on Thursday and four injured when suspected NSCN rebels ambushed their vehicle in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap district bordering Nagaland.
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, was completely withdrawn in Meghalaya in 2018, Tripura in 2015 and Mizoram in the 1980s.
This was the largest clash in an ongoing conflict between the two groups since December. Both factions are currently in talks with the Centre and have been observing a ceasefire with government forces. The MHA, alarmed at the escalating conflict, wanted the Assam Rifles and the Army to launch an operation to disarm the NSCN cadres of both the factions but so far the Army has resisted the pressure
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said there would be 'zero tolerance' towards militancy and violence while addressing a public gathering at Khonsa, the headquarters of troubled Tirap district in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday.
The AFSPA is in force in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council Area), Changlang, Longding and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and areas falling within the jurisdiction of eight police stations of districts in Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam.
Rebel groups, particularly militants from National Socialist Council of Nagaland factions, are creating trouble in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar. These militants are taking advantage of the mountainous terrain as well as the lack of manpower and firepower of the Arunachal Pradesh police to tackle insurgents armed with sophisticated weapons.
The Arunachal Pradesh government has warned of stern action against National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, the Naga rebel group, which recently 'directed' the 12 elected representatives from various constituencies in Tirap and Changlang districts to withdraw support to Dorjee Khandu-led Congress government in the frontier hill state.
Security forces have mounted vigil along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary to prevent United Liberation Front of Asom militants' anti-talks faction from sneaking into Assam through its eastern district of Tinsukia.
Security forces in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh have mounted vigil in areas where the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Khaplang) led by Burmese-origin Naga S S Khaplang has strong influence.
The Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the operation on Tuesday after hearing the differing viewpoints presented by the home and defence ministries on the necessity of such an operation against the Issac-Muivah and Khaplang factions of the NSCN. The CCS has backed the home ministry view that the Army needs to intervene and clear the two districts of armed militants from both the rival factions
The chairman of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang faction) S S Khaplang has asked all the 12 elected legislators of the Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh to quit the ruling government or face the consequences. The alleged letter categorically directed all the 12 MLAs to corner Arunachal Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu.
Chipu Menon, senior leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Khaplang faction, a self-styled brigadier in the outfit, was assassinated by suspected cadres of the rival NSCN-IM group at Mon in Nagaland on Thursday night, intelligence sources in New Delhi said
Security forces operating under unified command have launched opeation in Tirap and Changlang districts of eastern Arunachal Pradesh which border with Myanmar to check cross border movements of terrorists from Assam and Nagaland to their bases inside Myanmar.
The home ministry said the entire Assam, besides bordering areas of Meghalaya, have been declared 'disturbed' under the AFSPA for three months with effect from May 3.
AFSPA can be safely lifted from almost 90 per cent of Nagaland, argues Shekhar Gupta.
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union has expressed anguish over the activities of the NSCN factions -- NSCN-IM and NSCN-K -- in the two districts having border with Myanmar where the Naga rebels have their bases.
Chetri was awarded the DG medal for his 30 years' outstanding services and nominated for President's Award.
'Operation Hurricane' was in progress in state's Tirap district bordering Myanmar.
The state has been in turmoil since the UDF ministry was downsized.
The decision has been taken due to a significant improvement of security situation in the state, a home ministry official said.
The Centre's decision to extend the enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, to 12 districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Assam and Nagaland, has sparked sharp reactions.
Facing a rout in other parts of the country, Congress retained power securing three-fourth majority in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly snapping up 40 of the 60 seats and leading in two.
After the Naga leader's death, Chinese intelligence may ensure ULFA terrorist Paresh Barua takes over as leader of the anti-India rebel groups operating out of Myanmar, says Nitin A Gokhale.
This classification of districts is to be followed by states and union terrotories till a week post May 3, when the second phase of lockdown will end, for containment operations.
The counter-insurgency operation on the Indo-Myanmar was under planning for the last three months. The June 4 ambush that killed 18 Indian soldiers only hastened the attack. Sheela Bhatt provides exclusive details of the planning for the operation.
'The Naga Hills region, Nagaland and Manipur, have had the most uncaring and corrupt state governments with little to show on the ground despite the nation's highest per capita development expenditure,' says Mohan Guruswamy.
'The Congress, all these decades, worked on a slow Hindi-isation and Indianisation of Arunachal tribes. The RSS wants rapid Hinduisation,' says Shekhar Gupta.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances