Terror outfit planned attacks on key Siliguri corridor, Northeast on high alert

The West Bengal police said that a sleeper cell of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) had plans to target the Siliguri corridor which connects Northeastern states to the rest of the country.

Authorities across the northeastern states, including Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura are on high alert, given the strategic importance of the Siliguri corridor.

The eight members of the terror outfit across Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal who were arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police have exposed a transnational network of the banned terror group. 

ABT, a splinter faction of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, has been outlawed in India, Bangladesh, the UK, and the US. 

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Among the arrested were two suspects detained from Murshidabad district in West Bengal on December 18, in a joint operation by the Special Task Forces (STF) of Assam and West Bengal Police.

Speaking to reporters, Inspector General (IG) of West Bengal STF, Gaurav Sharma, stated that the sleeper cell aimed to exploit communal and economic vulnerabilities to recruit local youth. The alleged mastermind, Farhan Ishrat, reportedly sent an operative, Saad Radi, from Bangladesh to India to spearhead recruitment efforts. Radi is believed to have traversed Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal before being apprehended during coordinated raids.

“The objective was clear: to activate the Siliguri corridor as a base for terror activities,” said Supratim Sarkar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), South Bengal.

Two of the accused, identified as Minarul Sheikh (48) and Md Abbas Ali (29), were arrested from Hariharpara in Murshidabad. While Sheikh is a pump mechanic, Ali has a criminal history, including charges of kidnapping and sexual assault under the POCSO Act. Evidence seized includes multiple mobile phones, documents, and a 16GB pen drive, now under scrutiny by Assam STF.

The STF is particularly interested in uncovering the group’s action plan and potential links to activities in West Bengal and Assam.

The arrests come amid heightened tensions in the region following reports of communal violence in Bangladesh and arrests of individuals linked to extremist activities. 

Joint interrogations and investigations are expected to provide further insights into the terror network's plans. (With agency inputs)