Four armed Muslim Force arrested

Guwahati-based Indian Army PRO (Defence) Lieutenant Colonel Suneet Newton in a statement has confirmed the arrest of four MTFA terrorists.

Based on specific information, Bongaigaon district police along with the Indian army conducted a joint operation on Thursday evening in Abhyapuri area and arrested the four militants along with arms.

Apart from Lower Assam’s Bongaigaon district, police have arrested more than 30 ‘Jihadi’ militants from these areas.

Police officers associated with anti-militant operations have stated several times that militants belonging to ‘Jihadi’ organisations follow the module of Bangladesh-based Jama’at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

As such, the presence of an organisation like MTFA in Assam comes as a major security challenge.

According to Bongaigaon Police’s additional SP Imdad Ali, they received intelligence of four militants being holed up in Hatiutra area near the town. Police, along with the army, immediately conducted a joint search operation and apprehended the four militants.

The arrested suspected militants have been identified as Mofidul Islam, Ismail Ali, Saidul Islam and Mijanur Rahman. The police recovered one 7.65 mm Pistol, two 9 mm pistol, several magazines, mobile handsets and cash.

Colonel Newton said these individuals have been involved in cases of extortion and kidnapping in the past.

This apprehension is a significant step by the army in restricting subversive activities by insurgents and ethnic groups that are planning to cause a security threat, keeping in mind the declaration of results of the Assam Assembly Elections on May 19 next.

According to a police source, the four arrested militants are being interrogated, and the law enforcing agencies are trying to ascertain whether these militants have any links  to ‘Jihadi’ organizations.

The police are also trying to determine the intention with which the arrested cadres had entered Bongaigaon with arms.