Guwahati, Dec 25: In a major anti-terror operation, the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police under ‘Operation Praghat’ has arrested two more individuals linked to a jihadi terror module operating in the State and recovered arms and ammunition. The arrested individuals belong to Bangladesh-based terror group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) which is connected to Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and were arrested from Kokrajhar area on Tuesday night.

“Last night (Tuesday night), (in) continuation of ‘Operation Praghat’, the Special Task Force of Assam carried out another raid and search operation with the help of Kokrajhar police at Namapara under Kokrajhar Police Station area and achieved a huge success in averting a major possible terror attack by fundamentalist Jihadi elements of global terror organisation Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) which is connected with AQIS, that is Al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent,” Special Director General of Assam Police (DGP) Harmeet Singh informed on Wednesday.

He said the operation was part of the ongoing investigation of the case related to multi-state anti-terror ‘Operation Praghat’ which was registered on December 19, 2024 when eight jihadi cadres were arrested.

On the intervening night of December 17-18, eight ABT operatives were arrested across Assam, West Bengal and Kerala; while 5 were arrested in Assam’s Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts, two were nabbed in West Bengal, and one Bangladeshi national was caught in Kerala. The arrested individuals were planning to assassinate Hindu and RSS leaders.

The two arrested on Tuesday night from Kokrajhar have been identified as Abdul Zaheer Sheikh and Sabbir Mirdha, from Ramfalbil and Kachipara Bazaar in Kokrajhar district.

Singh also expressed concern over the recovery of handmade grenade and explosives and materials to create more IEDs. “The most concerning issue in this is the recovery of handmade grenade and explosives and material to create more IEDs and iron parts which would in an IED cause maximum destruction as well as explosives, detonators, wires, switches. It is very clear that this terror module was looking to create mass destruction in the country and hurt the country and its citizens,” he said.

Four handmade rifles, 34 rounds of ammunition, 24 blank cartridges, and other incriminating items including basic ingredients of IED were recovered from the duo.

Terming the operation a “big achievement” he said all recoveries have been done based on Section 23 of the Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam or the new evidence act.

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