Tripura lifts AFSPA after 18 years

TNT News

AGARTALA: The Tripura government has decided to withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or disturbed areas act from nearly 30 police station areas. The decision was adopted at a cabinet meeting in Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, later told the media that though they have decided to withdraw the disturbed areas act as the insurgency rate is coming down, required law would be taken if necessary, in future.

The disturbed areas act was imposed in the state since 1997 due to high insurgency rate.

Earlier, there were nearly 42 police stations. Of the total, the act was imposed in only 26 police stations with a postion of four police stations. Now the state has 74 police stations and 36 out-posts.

The state government had decided to extend the AFSPA in 34 police station areas from January, 2014 for next six months.

When asked about reactions, Indigeneous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT), a tribal based regional political party general secretary Jagadish Debbarma said, "We were against the decision of extension of AFSPA's duration as the insurgency was crushed in the state. We were against it because this act is operational only in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. However, we welcomed the decision taken by the government of withdrawing the act."