Three ISIS inspired terrorists arrested in Assam’s Goalpara

In a joint operation, a team of Special Cell of Delhi police and Assam police busted an ISIS inspired module by arresting three terrorists from Goalpara.

The arrested terrorists were identified as 24-year-old Ranjeet Islam alias Ranjeet Ali, 22-year-old Mukadir Islam and 24-year-old Luit Zameel Zaman alias Ali.

They are hailing from Goalpara district.

A top police official said they were carrying a complete IED to detonate the same at Raas-Mela, a local fair in Dudhnoi area in Goalpara district.

“The timely intervention saved many lives as Raas-Mela has heavy footfall. The police team was present at the spot for identification of terrorists and they along with police party acted swiftly and apprehended the active terrorists of ISIS inspired module from the spot before they could place the IED at Raas-Mela,” the official said.

A case vide FIR No. 709/2019 was registered at Goalpara Sadar police station under section 120B IPC, 121, 121(A), 122/ 153 (A) IPC, Section 4, 15 Explosives Act, 25 Arms & 16, 18 ULA(P) Act in this regard.

“The terrorists were inspired with the Bangladesh module of ISIS and were carrying baton sword and button actuated knife to carry out lone-wolf attacks as well. The swiftness of Police team in identification of terrorists averted an IED blast at Raas-Mela, Dudhnoi and it also resulted into the apprehension of three terrorists. During interrogations, lots of valuable information was extracted and raids were conducted at two hideouts of this module and lots of IED materials were recovered,” the official said.

The police official further said that, a group of radical youths was identified by the Delhi police and was subjected to intelligence exploitation. 

“Group consisted of 3-4 persons inspired by ISIS and self-radicalized was conspiring to execute a terror attack in order to destabilize peace and tranquility. These entities appeared to be inspired by Bangladesh Module of ISIS and were also intending to carry out lone-wolf attacks besides bomb blasts. It was further revealed that this group had already assembled a few IEDs and they were planning to detonate these IEDs in the local Raas-Mela in Assam, within a few days. This information was shared with senior officers who further directed to take all necessary and immediate steps to avert this imminent IED blast,” the police official said.

A team led by Inspector Sunil Kumar, under the supervision and presence of ACP Lalit Mohan Negi, arrived at Assam on Nov 23.

The information was further developed on ground.

Thereafter, on Nov 24, the information was further developed and was shared with Assam police and immediately, on the specific input of Special Cell, a trap was laid near Madhuban Lodge, Assam by a joint team of Special Cell and Assam police.

The joint team acted swiftly and apprehended three terrorists inspired by ISIS from the spot before they could detonate the IED at Raas-Mela Dudhnoi.     

During initial interrogation of the accused persons, they informed that the recovered IED is complete in all respect and they had planned to connect the battery just before planting the IED at Raas-Mela at Dudhnoi.

“They further disclosed that they had plans to conduct similar IED blasts in Delhi as well and the intended Assam blasts were a test run. They had also gathered IED components for Delhi blasts and the explosive material which they revealed had been stored at Ranjit Islam’s and Luit Zameel Zaman’s house at Krishnai,” the police official said.

Apprehending that the dangerous explosive material/components could be moved to somewhere else by their associates at Krishnai, the team moved immediately rushed towards Krishnai to affect further recoveries.

About 1 kg explosives and IED components were thus further recovered.

The Delhi police team had recovered a complete IED; similar to the one used in Ujjain train blast on July 10, 2018 by ISIS terrorists, two baton swords; to be used for executing Bangladesh ISIS type of attacks, four mobile phones containing valuable information about ISIS, about 1 Kg explosive powder, complete IED components such as Pipes, Nails, Ball bearings etc.

(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)