Assam: The Assam Police Special Task Force (STF) arrested eight members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned affiliate of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), during a coordinated operation named “Operation Praghat” conducted across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala.
Following their arrest on December 19, the accused were remanded to 10 days of police custody by a Guwahati court.
STF Chief Partha Sarathi Mahanta confirmed the arrests and provided details about the operation. Among the arrested individuals is Md. Sad Radi alias Shab Seikh, a Bangladeshi national from Rajshahi, who allegedly entered India in November 2024 with the aim of spreading extremist ideology and establishing sleeper cells. He was apprehended in Kerala with the assistance of local police. Two others, Minarul Sheikh and Md. Abbas Ali, were arrested in West Bengal, while five others were detained in Assam’s Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts.
The operation was launched under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act) and the Passport Act, with simultaneous search and seizure operations uncovering incriminating documents, pen drives, mobile phones, and evidence of cross-border communications with entities in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Mahanta revealed that the arrested individuals were instrumental in creating sleeper cells in Assam and West Bengal. These cells were intended to carry out covert subversive activities aimed at disrupting peace and causing destruction. “The accused exploited local vulnerabilities and religious sentiments to recruit and indoctrinate individuals aligned with their extremist ideologies,” Mahanta stated.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities analyzing seized materials and continuing efforts to dismantle the network. This operation underscores the STF’s commitment to countering extremist threats and maintaining national security.