Maibam Sharat, the second in a group of six friends walking past a security post in Manipur, India, with his hands raised, witnessed a soldier from an armoured car opening fire. The shooting resulted in his friend Ranbir being injured and bleeding from the stomach. The troops, who were in the area to combat separatist militants, initially took him to their camp instead of seeking medical assistance. Despite local pressure, it took four hours for Ranbir to receive medical attention, by which time he had succumbed to his injuries from seven bullets and severe blood loss. Sharat, a driver from Nongpok Semai, speculated that the soldiers may have been acting out of frustration and anger following an earlier attack by militants. Human rights organizations and political parties are condemning Ranbir's killing as part of a pattern of abuses by the military in Manipur, where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) provides soldiers with virtual immunity from prosecution. The AFSPA has become a major issue as Manipur begins voting for a new legislature, with most parties agreeing that the law should be either repealed or significantly revised. Sovakiran Singh, a legislator from the Heirok constituency where the incident took place, has promised that if his party comes to power, they will work to repeal the AFSPA in the new legislature's first session. Despite this, New Delhi retains the power to override the state government and reinstate the law. Singh is hopeful that the government will take action in response to the pressure from Manipur, where 20,000 people have died in a separatist rebellion since the 1960s. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) grants troops extensive powers to search, arrest, and kill suspected militants, even in the absence of an immediate threat. Troops can only be prosecuted with permission from the central government, which is rarely granted. This law, enacted in 1958 to combat armed separatist militancy in northeast India, is said by the army to provide necessary protection from politically motivated charges. However, rights groups argue that the powers granted by AFSPA have created an environment where security forces can commit human rights abuses with impunity, including torture, rape, and murder. They argue that this has only increased anger and led to more rebels. Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Press, described AFSPA as a result of the state's extreme paranoia. A senior official from the Border Security Force, whose soldiers were part of the Nongpok Sekmai incident, claimed that they were responding to gunfire from militants. However, very few people in the village trust his explanation. Manipur, located 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from New Delhi, is considered one of India's most troubled areas, yet it remains largely overlooked by the nation. Soldiers have been present in various areas, leading to multiple incidents of unrest in the past five years due to accusations of killing civilians. Despite protests, there was a slight increase in extra-judicial killings last year, according to Babloo Loitongbam, director of Manipur's Human Rights Alert. Phanjoubam and Loitongbam believe that New Delhi should prioritize a political solution rather than a military one to address the insurgency in Manipur and improve development in the state. However, it is uncertain if political parties in the region can effectively advocate for change. The Congress party, currently in power in Manipur since 2002, has been hesitant in making a decision on AFSPA. Sonia Gandhi, the party chief, assured Manipuris that the government is actively considering the recommendations of an expert panel regarding changes to the law, which were made 18 months ago. However, many people in Manipur are still doubtful about whether any changes will actually be implemented.