HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, July 28: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has instructed the state police to work towards the complete withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from the state. Addressing the superintendents of police convention in Bongaigaon on Friday, Sarma emphasised that insurgency has been largely defeated, and efforts must focus on preventing any attempts at regrouping by militants. He urged the police to maintain vigilance to stop surrendered militants from returning to violence.
“The police must ensure a situation so that the AFSPA can be completely withdrawn from the state,” Sarma said.
The AFSPA, in place in eight of the 31 districts, has been a tool to tackle insurgency, but with the improved security situation, the chief minister believes it’s time to consider a complete withdrawal. Previously, the entire state was declared a ‘disturbed area’ under AFSPA in 1990, but it has been removed from many parts since 2022.
Sarma also highlighted the need to intensify the fight against narcotic drugs, with drug seizures increasing significantly in recent years.
The annual average market rate of drugs seized during 2018-20 in the state was Rs 196.43 crore per annum and this has increased to Rs 730 crore in 2023, the chief minister said.
He called for vigilance to prevent subsidised fertilisers from being illegally exported and to stop Assam from becoming a corridor for trafficking illegal liquor and contraband items.
The chief minister stressed the importance of taking strong action against corrupt public officials, ensuring arrests are widely publicised, and convictions are achieved. To strengthen the police force, he assured that all vacant positions would be filled soon, making Assam Police a zero-vacancy force. Moreover, 119 new police stations are being constructed, and all five battalions will have permanent offices by February next year.
Sarma urged police personnel to be responsible when interacting with the media or using personal social media handles. He emphasized the government’s commitment to citizen-centric policing by improving coordination between the police and the public. (With inputs from PTI)
