Irom Sharmila granted bail as court defers hearing to August 23; to break fast after 16 years

After 16 years of fasting to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Chanu Sharmila will be soon ending her hunger strike.

The 44-year-old iconic rights activist, who has been forcibly fed through a nasal tube since 2000 to keep her alive at a prison-turned-hospital, was on Tuesday granted bail by the District and Sessions court.

"Today two witnesses were examined. Irom Sharmila will be examined in court again on August 23. She has been released on a personal bond of Rs.10,000," said Sharmila's lawyer.

As she starts her new journey, a large number of her supporters and women activists under the forum of Sharmila Kunba Lup will be meeting her, but Sharmila's 84-year-old mother Shakhi Devi will be conspicuous by her absence.

Local activist Kshetrimayum Onil, who has been associated with Sharmila for a long time, said they tried many times but failed to meet her to discuss future strategy on AFSPA.

Sharmila's struggle has been the nucleus of all protests against AFSPA in Manipur and the neighbouring north-eastern states.

On November 2, 2000, an Assam Rifles battalion had allegedly killed 10 civilians in a village near Imphal. Three days later, Sharmila embarked on her fast demanding revocation of AFSPA, which allows security men to even kill a person on suspicion, without the fear of facing a trial in court.