New Delhi/Imphal, Nov. 7: Less than a week after promising a review of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have asked the army to do all it can to help the judicial commission investigating the custody death that sparked the agitation in Manipur.

Singh is likely to visit Manipur by the end of the month. His directive to the army comes despite the defence ministry maintaining that the military has been co-operating in the investigation, even initiating DNA tests on 33 Assam Rifles personnel to disprove the allegation that Manorama was raped before being shot.

The army insists Manorama was a member of a banned militant group.

Representatives of the Apunba Lup, a conglomerate of the 32 groups spearheading the agitation in the state, met the prime minister and Union home minister Shivraj Patil in the capital last week. Singh promised to ensure fair and fast justice.

He demonstrated his sensitivity to issue by telling the Apunba delegation that he was the father of two daughters and could, therefore, understand the emotional upheaval in Manipur.

Highly-placed sources confirmed that the home and defence ministries had been asked to explore alternatives to the armed forces act, but the army is staunchly against its withdrawal. Security forces argue that without the cover of the act, it will be difficult for the Assam Rifles to continue with its counter insurgency operations in the state, where an estimated 30 militant groups are active.

Delhi?s policy on Manipur can at best be described as an evolving process in the absence of a clear-cut statement on where the negotiations with the Apunba Lup are headed. Part of the strategy seems to be to play for time.

The Apunba Lup wants security forces to be ?restrained? till the law is replaced. After returning to Imphal this afternoon, a member of the delegation to Delhi said security forces should be stopped from violating human rights and committing excesses such as ?fake encounters?.

The nine-member delegation was accorded a reception at Manipur Press Club. Addressing the gathering, scholar Arambam Lokendra, who headed the team, made a case for ?restrictive steps? till such time the armed forces act was replaced by a humane law.

This is because the central leadership did not fix a timeframe to introduce a new law, Lokendra said.

Surjit, one of the organisation?s co-ordinators, said a decision on whether to continue the agitation would be taken only after consulting the people. ?We have only lifted the ban on teaching of Hindi and NCC activities. All other aspects of the agitation still remain in force,? he said.

Lokendra admitted there were apprehensions about Delhi?s intentions. ?Those affected by the armed forces act believe it will merely be replaced by another black law.?

The Apunba Lup leader, however, said the dialogue with Delhi had been positive so far. ?Although we cannot say that the battle has been won, we can safely say that this is a step forward in our long struggle to live with dignity.?