- NET Web Desk
A man has been arrested from Assam’s Bongaigaon district for his alleged links with the Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent.
According to police reports, the accused is among three persons who have been apprehended by the state police, this week for “having links with the terror outfit”.
The third arrested person, hailing from Goalpara, was held on Thursday and shifted here; informed a senior police official.
He further added that the accused has been sent to police custody for five days.
Its worthy to note that two Islamic clerics (Imams) allegedly involved in radicalizing Muslim youths across the state, and having links with terror outfit Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) was recently arrested from Assam’s Goalpara district.
Following the third arrest, the Director General of Police (DGP) – Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta convened a meeting with IGP (Western Range) Dilip Kumar De and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Goalpara, Barpeta and Bongaigaon districts on Thursday.
Addressing the mediapersons, the DGP remarked that the three arrested men from the district were “found to have connections with several persons, who were involved in jihadi activities and apprehended in the state earlier, along with one held in West Bengal”.
“We are also investigating whether they have links with those arrested in Madhya Pradesh. It has been established that there are sleeper cells in the districts where training is imparted to youths to radicalize them and several jihadi literature and posters have been recovered,” Mahanta said.
During the investigation, the district authorities have been instructed to keep a strict vigil on such activities. It has also been discovered that during the investigation, that few Imams arrived from outside the state, and established a Madrasa in a minority-dominated area.
“A Madrasa cannot just come up in an area without the permission of the authorities concerned. Necessary rules and regulations have to be followed,” he said.
The DGP mentioned that members of the Muslim community are assisting district administrations, in their efforts to apprehend those who are purportedly engaged into jihadi activities.