Guwahati, Dec 27: Continuing its relentless crackdown on jihadi elements, the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police apprehended a most-wanted jihadi during Operation “PRAGHAT.” The arrest occurred on Friday in Bandhav Gaon, under Bilasipara police station in Dhubri district, in connection with STF PS case number 21/2024.
The arrested individual has been identified as Shahinur Islam (36), son of the late Hasem Ali, a permanent resident of Khudhigaon Part-II under the jurisdiction of Bilasipara police station.
From Shahinur’s possession, the STF recovered books – Nuriliza (Urdu, 829 pages) and Jana Wazib (by Sheikh Nazibullah Hakkani, 47 pages). PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, Passport and one mobile phone.
A senior STF official stated that the confiscated materials would undergo thorough analysis to determine potential links to extremist networks. This arrest marks the second operation by the STF targeting jihadi activities this week.
On December 24, the task force apprehended two members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a Bangladesh-based terror group affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), in Namapara, Kokrajhar district.
The two operatives, identified as Abdul Zaher Sheikh and Sabbir Mirdha, are believed to have been planning significant terror activities. According to police, their capture represents a major success in averting a potential threat posed by global terrorist organizations.
Last week, eight ABT operatives were arrested across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala. These efforts highlight the STF’s ongoing commitment to neutralizing extremist threats in the state.