7 Arrested for Allegedly Promoting Pakistan's Cause; Assam CM Vows Strict Action

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a stern warning following the arrest of multiple individuals involved in defending Pakistan on social media in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. Sarma emphasized that any form of support, direct or indirect, for Pakistan would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

In a high-profile crackdown, the Assam Police apprehended seven people on Friday for allegedly defending Pakistan in connection with the April 24 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. 

CM Sarma, took to his X handle and declared that the ongoing arrests were part of a broader effort to swiftly act against any such sympathies. “We will not tolerate any form of defense for Pakistan, whether in the form of social media posts or verbal statements,” he asserted, adding that further arrests were expected.

Assam will not tolerate any individual who, directly or indirectly, supports or defends Pakistan in connection with the heinous attack in Pahalgam.

So far, the following individuals have been arrested by @assampolice for directly or indirectly promoting the cause of Pakistan in…

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 25, 2025

The seven individuals arrested have been identified as Md. Jabir Hussain (Hailakandi), Md. A.K. Bahauddin and Md. Javed Mazumder (Silchar), Md. Mahahar Mia and Md. Mujihirul Islam (Morigaon), Md. Aminul Islam (Nagaon), and Md. Sahil Ali (Sivasagar). They are being detained for expressing support for Pakistan or its actions related to the Pahalgam attack. Sarma made it clear that the state government would pursue strict legal measures against those attempting to justify terrorism in any form.

In addition to these arrests, Sarma’s statement followed the detention of A.K. Bahauddin Choudhury, a student of the Computer Science Department at Assam University, Silchar, who has been accused of inciting communal tensions by posting inflammatory content about the attack.

In his post, Choudhury wrote:
"Where did these piglets even get the idea that the terrorists asked for names before killing? That they checked genitals after pulling down pants before shooting? Since yesterday, I’ve seen some radical fundamentalist young men and women—even some journalists—sharing such posts. The truth is, they just look for excuses. As soon as something happens, they vomit their communal and extremist mindset onto the internet. These are the real terrorists."

He also questioned the silence of selective protestors regarding previous acts of violence against Muslims in India and abroad.
"If anyone is offended by my post—so be it. I have nothing to apologize for. Just as I protested the killings in Palestine, and the brutal murders of Muslims for not chanting a slogan, I am also protesting this terrorist attack today."

The student, who later issued an apology for his actions, was arrested after a formal complaint from the Assam University branch of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). The post, which was later removed from Facebook, had included offensive language directed at ABVP members and other individuals responding to the terror attack.

The crackdown also saw AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam arrested on sedition charges for allegedly defending Pakistan's involvement in the attack. Sarma stressed that the Assam government would not allow any such divisive elements to go unchecked, saying, “We will continue to act swiftly against those who try to create disturbances and spread hatred.”

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