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Amid rising furore over the deaths of 14 civilians in a botched ambush by the army in Nagaland, the state Cabinet will ask the Union government to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA, 1958) in the Northeastern states, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Tuesday, 7 December.
"People have spoken very strongly about the unfortunate incident. At today's state cabinet meeting, we decided to ask GoI to repeal AFSPA not only in Nagaland but Northeast (altogether)," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The decision was reportedly taken at an urgent meeting of the Nagaland Cabinet, and comes after 14 civilians were killed by the security forces in Nagaland, in a series of incidents over 4 and 5 December.
Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma had also called for the repealing of the law.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday issued a notice to the Defence Secretary, the Union Home Secretary, and the Chief Secretary, and Director General of Police of Nagaland, seeking a detailed report in the killings of civilians in the botched army operation, within six weeks.
Issuing the notice, the NHRC has also observed that it is incumbent upon the security forces ensuring proper precaution with a humane approach even if it involved militants.
Meanwhile, Konyak Union (KU), the apex tribal body in Mon, has imposed a day-long bandh in the district on Tuesday to protest the killing of 14 civilians, as well as seven-day mourning from Wednesday, reported EastMojo.
(With inputs from ANI, EastMojo, and India Today.)
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