Maibam Sharat, the second in a group of six friends, was walking with his hands up in the air as ordered by Indian troops when a soldier from an armoured car opened fire. His friend Ranbir, who was walking in front of him, was shot in the stomach. The troops, who were in Manipur to fight separatist militants, initially took him to their camp instead of getting medical help. After pressure from locals, they finally took him to the hospital, but it was too late as Ranbir had already taken seven bullets and lost too much blood. Sharat, a driver from Nongpok Semai, believes the soldiers may have been venting their frustration and anger after a previous attack by militants. Human rights organizations and political parties believe that Ranbir's killing is just one example of the many abuses carried out by the military in Manipur, where a federal anti-terror law, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA, shields soldiers from prosecution. AFSPA has become a major issue as Manipur's 2.6 million residents begin voting for a new legislature in a three-stage poll. Most parties agree that the law, which only affects parts of India's northeast and Kashmir in the northwest, should be abolished or significantly amended. "If we are elected, we will work to repeal AFSPA in the first session of the new legislature," stated Sovakiran Singh, a legislator representing the Heirok constituency, where Nongpok Sekmai is located. However, the central government in New Delhi has the power to override the state government and reinstate the law if necessary. 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 soldiers extensive authority to search, arrest, and potentially kill suspected militants without facing immediate danger. Soldiers can only be prosecuted with approval from the central government, which is rare. This law was enacted in 1958 to combat separatist violence in northeast India, with the army arguing that it provides necessary protection from politically motivated accusations. However, human rights organizations argue that the powers granted by AFSPA have created a climate where security forces can commit abuses such as torture, rape, and murder without consequences. "They say that this has only increased anger and led to more insurgents. According to Pradip Phanjoubam, editor of the Imphal Free Press, AFSPA is 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 they were responding to gunfire from militants, but few in the village trust his explanation. Manipur, located 1,500 miles away from New Delhi, is considered one of India's most troubled regions, yet it remains largely overlooked by the nation." Soldiers are present in abundance, and there have been multiple instances in the past five years where the state has experienced unrest due to allegations of soldiers killing innocent people. Despite public outrage and protests, there was a slight increase in extra-judicial killings last year, with 18 documented cases according to Babloo Loitongbam, director of Manipur's Human Rights Alert. Phanjoubam and Loitongbam believe that instead of a military approach, New Delhi should focus on a political solution to address the insurgency in Manipur and bring development to the underdeveloped state. The ability of political parties to exert genuine pressure for change in this regard remains uncertain. The Congress party, in power in Manipur since 2002, has hesitated to take action on AFSPA. Sonia Gandhi, the party chief, informed Manipuris that the government is thoroughly reviewing the recommendations of an expert panel that proposed changes to the law 18 months ago. However, many Manipuris are still doubtful about any actual changes happening.