The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police has made a significant breakthrough with the arrest of eleven individuals allegedly connected to a jihadist network based in Bangladesh. The arrests, which took place this past Tuesday across Assam and Tripura, have led to confessions regarding a plot to raise funds, spread radical indoctrination, and orchestrate violent disturbances in the northeastern states.
Confessions Reveal Plot for Violence and Funding
According to the STF, the detained men have admitted to their roles in a dangerous conspiracy. Their primary objective was to foment violent armed activities under the banner of jihad and incite communal unrest across Assam and Tripura. The group had allegedly begun collecting funds in various districts of lower Assam, including Barpeta and Chirang, to advance the cause of the Imam Mahamuder Kafila (IMK).
Investigators stated that the IMK is a Bangladesh-based offshoot of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The group, founded in 2018 by Jewel Mahmud, also known as Imam Mahmud Habibullah or Sohail, propagates the extremist ideology of "Ghazwatul Hind". This ideology calls for Muslim rule over India through violent means.
Network Leaders and Cross-Border Links
The STF identified the alleged commander, or 'amir', as Nasim Uddin from Barpeta. Along with another arrested individual, Jagir Miah from Tripura, Nasim Uddin reportedly traveled to Bangladesh between April and May of 2024 for meetings and training sessions. This highlights the cross-border nature of the network, which officials say was directed by handlers operating from both Bangladesh and West Bengal.
The other nine individuals currently in police custody are:
- Junab Ali (38) of Chirang
- Afrahim Hussain (24) of Darrang
- Mizanur Rehman (46), Sultan Mehmud (40), Md Siddique Ali (46), Sharuk Hussain (22), and Md Dilbar Razak (26) of Barpeta
- Rasidul Aalam (28) and Mahibul Khan (25) of Baksa district
Radicalization Through Social Media
The investigation trail began in late 2024 when Nasim Uddin encountered a YouTube sermon claiming that Imam Mahmud had appeared as a religious saint ('muzaddid'). This led him to a Telegram account operated by an individual named Khalid, who was circulating religious texts. Khalid later created a Telegram group named "Purva Akash" and appointed Nasim Uddin as an administrator.
Nasim Uddin then added nearly 20 members from various Assam districts to this group. Messages within the group invoked 'Ghazwatul Hind' and used fabricated references from Islamic texts to justify a violent struggle against the Indian state. The STF has confirmed that the hadiths being preached were fake and designed specifically to radicalize new recruits.
Ongoing Investigation and Security Implications
The STF has emphasized that the investigation is continuing in a phased manner to uncover deeper links within this network. The case underscores the persistent challenge of cross-border extremist infiltration and the use of social media platforms for radicalization in the sensitive northeastern region of India.
This major operation by the Assam Police's STF highlights the ongoing efforts by security forces to dismantle modules that threaten national security and communal harmony. Authorities remain vigilant as they work to trace all connections and prevent any planned disturbances.
