Free legal aid counsel for Sharmila Chanu

IMPHAL: A local court today appointed a free legal aid counsel for rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu.

Sharmila had submitted an affidavit at the chief judifical magistrate court, Imphal West, stating that she wanted to fight her case against the state government without a counsel.

The hunger striker, who was present in the court, talking to media appealed to the people to support her demand for repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 from Manipur.

Sharmila is on indefinite fast for the last 16 years in Manipur demanding repeal of AFSPA and is being force fed through a nasal tube. A Delhi trial court acquitted her on March 30 of charges of trying to commit suicide when she sat on a fast unto death at Jantar Mantar on October 4, 2006.