New Delhi: Manipur Cabinet has extended the 'disturbed area' status of the state for one more year till 30 November next year to allow security forces to operate and aid civil administration in flushing out insurgents by imposing Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state.
The decision to extend the disturbed area status was taken during a cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh late last night, sources said. But seven assembly constituencies in Imphal municipality area, from where AFSPA was lifted about two years ago, would not be brought under the disturbed area status, sources added.
Barring the seven assembly constituencies, the status would apply to the rest of the state where AFSPA was in force, sources said, adding that the state had been first declared disturbed area in September, 1980 and AFSPA was imposed in that month for a certain period.
The government action followed after going through the reports on the law and order situation submitted by various security agencies including central para military forces, police and others.
Social activist Irom Sharmila has been on fast demanding withdrawal of AFSPA for the past 12 years, saying that hundreds of innocent people have been killed in the past three decades by security forces in the name of tackling insurgents. Various social organisations have also been demanding the repeal of the AFSPA.
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