The Tripura government withdrew the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state on Wednesday with immediate effect in an effort to curb insurgency.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, as reported by PTI, said that the decision was taken in the meeting of the council of ministers during the day. “Insurgency activities in the state are now reduced almost at zero. The demand for withdrawing the AFSPA has been persuaded at various levels, but we could not take a decision because the security forces did not clear it,” Sarkar stated.
“When the Act was imposed there were only 42 police stations and two-third of the entire police station areas were under this act. The number of police station areas at present are 74 and out of 74 police stations 26 police stations were fully and four police stations partly under this Act till recently,” Sarkar further added.
Responding to the decision, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Kiren Rijiju told ANI, “I would like to welcome the very important decision of Tripura Govt to lift AFSPA. I hope that lifting of AFSPA will also have positive impact on other states of North Eastern region.”
The Act was introduced in the state 18 years ago, on February 16, 1997.