AFSPA Reimposed in Police Stations Under 5 Districts of Manipur

The Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in six police stations under five districts of Manipur with immediate effect. 

According to reports, the five districts are Imphal West, Imphal East, Jiribam, Kangpokpi and Bishnupur. The police station areas where AFSPA has been re-imposed are Sekmai and Lamsang in Imphal West district, Lamlai in Imphal East district, Jiribam in Jiribam district, Leimakhong in Kangpokpi and Moirang in Bishnupur, reports said. 

The Union Home Ministry in a notification said that the decision in view of the continuous volatile situation in Manipur due to the ongoing ethnic violence. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been extended with immediate effect up till March 31, 2025, unless withdrawn earlier.

Under the AFSPA, an area is declared as "disturbed" for the convenience of security forces to operate.

Notably, in a week-long joint operation, security forces in Manipur, including the Indian Army, Assam Rifles, and Manipur Police, successfully recovered a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and war-like stores across multiple districts, the Ministry of Defence announced on Monday.

The operation, conducted in the hill and valley regions, spanned Imphal West, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Bishnupur, Tengnoupal, and Kakching districts. The security forces seized a total of 29 weapons, along with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), ammunition, and other military-grade materials.