In a significant breakthrough, Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam Police has thwarted a major terrorist plot with the apprehension of two high-ranking leaders of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in India. The intelligence, received from sister agencies, indicated that these individuals were planning to enter India through the Dhubri Sector to carry out sabotage activities.

Acting swiftly on the credible input, a Special Task Force (STF) team led by Parthasarathi Mahanta, IGP(STF), and Kalyan Kumar Pathak, Additional Superintendent of Police (STF), along with other personnel, was deployed to track down and apprehend the wanted accused, who were also on the radar of the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The STF team, after reaching Dhubri in the evening of March 19, 2024, launched an extensive manhunt along the international border area. In the early hours of March 20, 2024, the accused individuals, identified as Haris Farooqi alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi and Anurag Singh alias Rehan, were intercepted at Dharmasala area of Dhubri after crossing the international border.

Haris Farooqi, hailing from Chakrata, Dehradun, is identified as the head of ISIS in India, while his associate Anurag Singh, originally from Diwana, Panipat, converted to Islam, and his wife is a Bangladeshi national. Both individuals are described as highly indoctrinated and motivated leaders/members of ISIS in India, involved in various nefarious activities including recruitment, terror funding, and plotting terror acts using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) across India.

The duo faces multiple pending cases at NIA, Delhi, ATS, Lucknow, among other agencies. The STF, Assam, will hand over the accused to NIA for further legal proceedings against these fugitives.

This successful operation underscores the proactive efforts of security forces in thwarting terrorist activities and ensuring the safety and security of the nation.