Guwahati, Feb 4 (PTI) – The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police arrested a member of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) and Jamaat-Ul-Mujahideen (JAM) from Kokrajhar district on Monday, an official confirmed. The operation, carried out with the district police, was based on specific intelligence inputs.
The arrested individual, identified as Nasimuddin SK, was an active operative of ABT and JAM and a close associate of Nur Islam Mandal, the prime accused in several terror-related cases in the district. According to police sources, Nasimuddin SK allegedly collaborated with Mandal in acquiring weapons and manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) intended for extremist organizations.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
The suspect was booked under multiple stringent laws, including:- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)
- Passport Act
- Explosives Act
- Arms Act
- Foreigners’ Act
Operation PRAGHAT: A Crackdown on Fundamentalist Networks
The arrest was part of ‘Operation PRAGHAT’, an ongoing counter-terrorism initiative launched in December 2023 to dismantle fundamentalist networks and Global Terrorist Organisations (GTO) across India.In recent months, Assam Police has intensified its crackdown on extremist activities:
- December 25, 2023: Two suspected terror network members were apprehended in Namapara, Kokrajhar, along with a significant cache of arms and ammunition.
- December 17-18, 2023: A coordinated inter-state operation led to the arrest of eight fundamentalists, including one Bangladeshi national, in a major bust aimed at preventing the establishment of sleeper cells for subversive activities.
Heightened Vigilance in Assam
Assam has witnessed increased vigilance against radical elements in recent years. The state government and law enforcement agencies have been actively working to curb extremist activities, with specialized task forces and intelligence-led operations playing a crucial role in maintaining security.Authorities have urged the public to remain alert and report any suspicious activities to help prevent potential threats to national security. More arrests and operations are expected as ‘Operation PRAGHAT’ progresses in its mission to neutralize extremist networks in the region.
