Editor
The dastardly act of cowardice by insurgents in Manipur to attack and kill a convoy carrying an army officer’s family deserves the highest condemnation and speaks no less of barbarism.
The deadly ambush of late Colonel Viplav Tripathi who was travelling along with his wife and a six year old son escorted by a quick reaction team brings out the debate of how effective has AFSPA or Armed Forces Special Powers Act that has been termed as a ‘draconian law’ failed to curtail insurgency in Manipur as well as in other parts of the North East.
The irony is that the same has not been even once applied in Naxal-hit areas where frequent ambushes and violence have become a regular feature. The Assam Rifles being the mainstay for internal security in the North East region has always been at the forefront in curbing all sorts of illegal activities.
However, this deadly incident would now require a complete overhaul and a re-look as to how internal security along with AFSPA in place has been a boon or a bane for the security forces as well as civil society.
