AFSPA extended in 4 districts of Assam, withdrawn from 4 others

The Assam Police on Sunday said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA has been extended in four districts of the state for six more months.

At the Assam Police Day 2023 celebrations in Guwahati, DGP Gyanendra Pratap Singh said the 'disturbed area' tag, which allows enforcement of the AFSPA, has, however, been withdrawn from four other districts.

"From today, only four districts in Assam will have AFSPA. These are Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar and Charaideo," he said.

The AFSPA has been withdrawn from Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao with effect from October 1, Singh said.

The Assam government had last extended the 'disturbed area' notification under the AFSPA for another six months with effect from April 1 in these eight districts.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant, besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the forces if they shoot someone dead.