Eleven Arrested in Assam and Tripura for Alleged Ties to Bangladeshi Extremist Groups
Arrests Linked to Extremist Activities
Authorities in Assam and Tripura have detained eleven individuals suspected of connections to extremist organizations based in Bangladesh, according to police reports released on Tuesday.
A coordinated operation led by a Special Task Force from the Assam Police took place on Monday night across several districts in Assam, including Baksa, Barpeta, Chirang, and Darrang, as well as one district in Tripura.
Of the eleven arrests, ten were made in Assam, while one was apprehended in Tripura, as confirmed by Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta.
The detainees are facing charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
According to Mahanta, the individuals are affiliated with an organization called Imam Mahmuder Kafil, established in 2018 by a former member of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
In 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs prohibited the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and its associated groups in India for allegedly inciting terrorism.
Mahanta characterized the arrested individuals as 'jihadist elements' acting under the directives of groups based in Bangladesh, with intentions to 'destabilize' the northeastern region of India.
He further stated that their goal was to establish 'Muslim supremacy' in the area.
Security officials have indicated that leaders from extremist groups, including Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Al Qaeda, have been instrumental in activating and expanding the Imam Mahmuder Kafil network in India following the governmental shift in Bangladesh in August 2024.
According to a dossier, the group's activities are coordinated via secure social media channels, with one platform named Purva Akash serving as a key tool for radicalization, recruitment, and financial support in Assam, Tripura, and West Bengal.
Some members reportedly traveled to Bangladesh for training using legitimate travel documents, and meetings between Indian members and their handlers were allegedly conducted in Meghalaya, as claimed by the Special Task Force.
The police have also identified financial connections involving digital payments and hawala transactions between individuals in India and Bangladesh.