AFSPA revoked from Meghalaya, diluted in Arunachal Pradesh

The Union Home Ministry on Monday totally removed Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Meghalaya.

"AFSPA was totally withdrawn from all areas of Meghalaya from April 1. In Arunachal, it is down from 16 police stations to eight," the official said.

Forty per cent of Meghalaya was under AFSPA till September 2017. However, after a recent consultation with the state government, AFSPA was completely removed from Meghalaya, an official statement said.

However, AFSPA has been extended by further six months in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh – Tirap, Longding and Changlang.

The Act was removed from Tripura in 2015 and in past one year, lesser areas in Northeast are under AFSPA, the official said.

AFSPA gives authority and power to the Army and central forces deployed in ‘disturbed areas’ to kill anyone acting against the law, arrest and search anyone without any warrant.

Currently, the whole of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur are under the Act. The state governments of Manipur and Assam will decide whether to keep or remove the Act.