In a significant counter-terrorism operation, the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police has dismantled a critical module of the Bangladesh-based extremist outfit Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK). The crackdown led to the arrest of eleven individuals across Assam and Tripura, exposing a network allegedly involved in radicalization, recruitment, and cross-border terror activities.
The Operation and Arrests
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, Special Task Force chief and Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta detailed the late Monday night operation. A total of 11 people were apprehended from various locations. Ten arrests were made in lower Assam districts, and one individual was held in Tripura.
The arrested individuals from Barpeta district were identified as Nasim Uddin (also known as Najimuddin or Tamim, 24), Mizanur Rehman (46), Sultan Mehmud (40), Siddique Ali (46), Sharuk Hussain (22), and Dilbar Razak (26). From Baksa district, police arrested Rasidul Aalam (28) and Mahibul Khan (25). Junab Ali (38) was arrested from Chirang, and Afrahim Hussain (24) from Darrang. Jagir Miah (33) was the individual arrested from Tripura.
Modus Operandi and Ideology
Commissioner Mahanta revealed that the IMK, a banned organization in India, was formed in 2018 by Jewel Mahmud, also known as Imam Mahmud Habibullah or Sohail. He is described as a former member of the proscribed Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and claims to be the amir (leader) of IMK. The group propagates the ideology of "Ghazwatul Hind" (a prophesied war for the Indian subcontinent).
The module primarily operated through encrypted social media platforms to evade detection. One such group, named 'Purva Akash', served as a key channel for communication, recruitment, and spreading propaganda. Through these platforms, the outfit radicalized and recruited youths from Assam, West Bengal, and Tripura. They also raised funds through hawala channels and digital payment methods like UPI, and facilitated cross-border travel for training purposes.
Investigators found that IMK systematically circulated radical literature authored by its leadership, including 'Sarbobhoumo Khamatar Malik Allah' and 'Ghazwatul Hind er Sonkhipto Alochona', to indoctrinate new cadres and sympathizers.
Bangladesh Regime Change and Accelerated Activity
A crucial finding of the investigation points to a direct link between the group's intensified activities and the political shift in neighboring Bangladesh. Police stated that following the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2024, top leaders of JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), and al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) issued directives to the IMK leadership to activate and expand its Indian modules.
In response, Bangladeshi nationals identified as Umar and Khalid were assigned to coordinate activities in Assam. The head of the Assam cell was allegedly Nasim Uddin (Tamim) from Barpeta Road. The police also noted that after the fall of the Hasina government in 2024 and the subsequent release of IMK's amir, recruitment and mobilization efforts gained momentum.
Evidence suggests that some operatives based in Assam traveled to Bangladesh this year using valid passports and visas for training and coordination with their handlers.
Legal Action and Political Response
The arrested individuals face multiple charges under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967. Commenting on the development, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma acknowledged the persistent challenge, stating, "Fundamentalists are active in Assam and the issue of fundamentalists will remain for a long time as Bangladesh is our neighboring country."
The bust underscores the ongoing efforts by Assam Police to combat transnational terror networks attempting to establish a foothold in the region, particularly in the wake of geopolitical changes in South Asia.
