Two suspected terrorists believed to be affiliated with the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), an Al Qaeda affiliate, have been apprehended by Assam police in Guwahati.
The arrested individuals, identified as Bahar Mia and Rarely Mia, were taken into custody at the Guwahati Railway Station, according to authorities.
Bahar Mia (30) is a native of Darkar village in Bangladesh’s Brahmanbaria district, while Rarely Mia (40) hails from Mongalsidha village in the Netrokona district of the same country.
Both the suspects were found illegally staying in India without valid passports and were allegedly acquiring Indian documents through fraudulent means. Incriminating documents, including Aadhar and PAN cards, were seized from the possession of the arrested individuals.
It is alleged that the duo had visited Guwahati with the intent to mobilise and radicalise susceptible Muslim youths and motivate them to join the terrorist organisation.
A case has been registered at the Special Operations Unit (SOU) police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, waging war against the Indian government, forgery, and fraudulent use of documents.
Additionally, the suspects are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920 and the Foreigners Act 1946.
These arrests came close on the heels of the suspected illegal entry of three individuals into India in Dharmanagar, North Tripura. On April 30, Manju Ali, Rashel Ahmed, and Md Fahim were apprehended under suspicion of illegally entering India without proper documentation.
It is worth noting here that the Assam Police has heightened its alert to apprehend individuals involved in terrorist activities, with at least 16 arrests made between March and April 2022 alone.