Assam Police STF Nabs 8 Jihadis In Nationwide 'Operation Praghat'

The Assam police’s special task force (STF) arrested eight individuals linked to jihadi activities as part of its intelligence-led nationwide ‘Operation Praghat’. The operation was conducted in collaboration with West Bengal and Kerala police in the respective states and was led by Special DGP Harmeet Singh and DIGP Partha Sarathi Mahanta of Assam police.

Between December 17 and 18, the operation resulted in the arrests of several individuals, including one Bangladeshi national, suspected of being part of a terror module preparing for a major attack. It was initiated after detailed intelligence inputs revealed the covert activities of a group led by Md. Farhan Israk, an associate of Jasimuddin Rahmani, the Chief of Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT)—an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Harmeet Singh said, “The operation, conducted across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala, led to the arrest of eight jihadi operatives. Among them was Md. Sad Radi, also known as Shab Sheikh, was associated with the Ansarullah Bangla Team and had been sent to India in November by Farhan Israk, a key leader of the group. Shab Sheikh had entered India through Bangladesh, initially taking shelter in West Bengal before being arrested in Kerala. He was part of a larger plan to strengthen sleeper cells across India.”

Additional arrests included Minarul Sheikh and Md. Abbas Ali from Murshidabad in West Bengal, and several individuals from Assam, including Nur Islam Mandal, Abdul Karim Mandal, Mojibur Rahman, and Hamidul Islam from Kokrajhar, as well as Enamul Hoque from Dhubri.

“During investigations, the police recovered sensitive materials from the arrested suspects, including mobile phones containing details about terrorist activities. We also seized four pen drives and hard drives, as well as numerous religious texts, which were found to be part of a larger blueprint aimed at establishing sleeper cells across the country. We discovered frequent communication between the operatives and their contacts in Pakistan and Bangladesh, facilitated through encrypted messaging apps,” Singh said.

The Assam Police Special DGP further informed, “The arrested jihadis had discussed strategies for smuggling weapons and targeting members of RSS and other Hindu organizations in the country. The group intended to spread religious intolerance and violence, especially in Assam and West Bengal, where jihadi sleeper cells had been expanding over the past two months.”

The arrested individuals are believed to have been in contact with Farhan Israk, who managed the sleeper cells in India. Investigations have revealed that the network was actively recruiting individuals to join violent extremist groups, procure arms, and destabilize the region by inciting religious tensions. The arrested suspects also face charges under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Passport Act.

Further investigation under Operation Praghat is ongoing, with authorities focusing on uncovering more nodes of this terror nexus across the country. The operation is being monitored at the highest levels within the Assam Police, to dismantle this terror network and ensure national security.