Assam: STF arrests 2 more Ansarullah Bangla Team members, recovers weapons and ammunition

The Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police has made another significant breakthrough in its ongoing operations against the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a militant group affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). According to senior police officials, two more ABT members have been arrested in the state.

The latest arrests follow a series of successful operations by the STF, which had earlier apprehended eight ABT operatives across Assam, West Bengal, and Kerala. Among the eight, five were arrested in Assam’s Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts, two in West Bengal, and one Bangladeshi national in Kerala.  

The arrested individuals are believed to be part of a recently uncovered jihadi module operating in the region. The STF apprehended Abul Zahar SK, 30, from Kokrajhar’s Joypur Namapara area. Based on his disclosures, the police were able to recover significant quantities of illegal weapons and materials.  

Authorities seized the following items from Zahar’s possession:  

- Four handmade rifles  
- 34 rounds of ammunition  
- 24 blank cartridges  
- Other incriminating items, including basic ingredients used for the production of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)  

The STF continues its investigation and further details are expected to be shared soon, officials confirmed. These arrests highlight the STF's continued commitment to dismantling militant operations in the region and ensuring the safety and security of Assam.

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