Northeast reports considerable reduction in 'disturbed areas' tag under AFSPA: MoS Nityanand Rai

Minister of State for Home Affairs of India, Nityanand Rai said that there has been a considerable reduction in 'disturbed areas' in the Northeast under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA). 

The statement comes after the application of the Act was removed from most parts of the region since 2014.   

Responding to Lok Sabha's unstarred question, the minister said that the security situation in the region has improved with a reduction of 71 per cent in insurgency incidents, 60 per cent reduction in deaths of security forces' personnel and 82 per cent decrease in civilian fatalities in 2023. 

The statement reads, "The security situation in the Northeastern states has seen significant improvement since 2014. Compared to 2014, there has been 71 per cent reduction in insurgency incidents, 60 per cent decrease in the number pf Security Forces personnel deaths and 82 per cent in civilian fatalities in 2023."

It was informed that the application of the AFSPA was completely withdrawn in Assam from all the districts except in four. 

In Tripura, the act was completely withdrawn with effect from 27.05.2015 and in Meghalaya with effect from 1.04.2018.

Meanwhile, the act has been withdrawn gradually in Arunachal Pradesh and is now applicable only in 3 police station areas in Namsai district and 3 others - Tirap, Changlang and Longding.

The AFSPA act was withdrawn from 19 police station areas in 7 districts of Manipur.

In Nagaland, the act has only been withdrawn partly and is now applicable only in 8 districts and 21 police station areas in 5 other districts.