As the students' protest enters the second day in Manipur, the state government announced today, September 27, Wednesday, that it would extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in the entire state, excluding 19 police station areas including Imphal, for six months, according to an IANS report.
The Commissioner (Home), T. Ranjit Singh issued a notification that the Governor of Manipur hereby accords approval to declare the entire state of Manipur, excluding the areas falling under the jurisdiction of 19 police stations, as "Disturbed Area" for a period of six months with effect from October 1.
The death of two students from Manipur and their alleged kidnapping raised a storm in the state after the ethnic clashes that surged in the state for months. The students criticised the government's inability to identify the perpetrators behind the killing of these youngsters.
Furthermore, the women's wing of Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), a leading tribal body, staged a massive demonstration in Churachandpur, protesting against the delay in CBI probe into the killing and rape of tribals during the ethnic violence, which broke out in the state on May 3.
CBI probe into murder of two students
On September 27, a Central Bureau of Investigation team led by the agency's Special Director Ajay Bhatnagar, reached Imphal in a special flight to investigate the alleged "kidnapping and killing" of two students, as per ANI sources.
Reportedly, the CBI team has already begun questioning the fundamental points of the incident.
An additional order has been issued by the Manipur Home Department which states that steps are being taken to prevent the imminent danger of loss of life, damage to public/private property, and widespread disturbances to prevailing peace in public.
