Assam Police arrest man linked to radical outfit JMB, says CM

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday that police have arrested a man suspected of working with the banned fundamentalist group Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). The man, identified as Ali Hussain Bepari, is accused of sharing phone numbers of several residents of Dhubri district with JMB members, who then allegedly tried to contact those people to radicalise them.

Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, the chief minister said the arrest was a major breakthrough in preventing the spread of extremist activities in the state. He confirmed that Bepari is an Indian national and had previously been arrested for similar charges but was out on bail before being caught again.

According to Sarma, the police are in the final stages of their investigation, and more details about the case are expected soon. He assured that security agencies are closely monitoring the border districts of Dhubri and South Salmara, which share boundaries with Bangladesh, to stop any further infiltration or radical activities.

Vigil stepped up in border districts

Sarma said that while the South Salmara district has remained peaceful for the past five years, there has been a noticeable increase in suspicious activities in Dhubri in recent months. To maintain law and order, especially with the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations, the government has decided to continue shoot-at-sight orders at night in the region.

“These orders are necessary as we are apprehensive about possible trouble during festivals,” the chief minister explained. He also stressed that Assam’s geographical location makes it vulnerable since both the state and the larger Northeast region are often used as a corridor by infiltrators.

The chief minister pointed out that security forces have been conducting strict checks to prevent illegal entry from across the Bangladesh border. According to him, around 70 to 100 people attempting to cross into India are pushed back every week. This, he said, is proof that the government is determined to control illegal immigration and the activities of groups like JMB that try to exploit the situation.

Sarma warned that extremist outfits like JMB are looking for ways to disturb Assam’s peace and harmony by targeting vulnerable people through calls and propaganda. He urged citizens to remain alert and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

NRC and illegal immigration concerns

During the press conference, Sarma also spoke about the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the issue of Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. He alleged that the current NRC list is full of errors and doubtful entries.

“The people of Assam have been cheated,” Sarma said, claiming that many names that should not have been included found their way into the final list. The NRC, published on August 31, 2019, had excluded 19,06,657 applicants while including 3,11,21,004 names out of the total 3,30,27,661 applicants. However, the list has not yet been officially notified.

Sarma said his government cannot accept the existing NRC in its present form. “Our final aim is to ensure that either the Centre, the Supreme Court, or the Assam government itself, within its powers, looks at the legal aspects and finds a proper solution,” he stated.

The chief minister further said that since the Assam Agitation of the 1980s, no Bangladeshi had been formally deported, but the current government has changed that by pushing back infiltrators regularly. He claimed that every week, 70 to 100 individuals trying to enter Assam illegally are stopped and sent back.

No FIR against former Planning Commission member

Sarma also commented on a recent statement by Sayeeda Hamid, a former member of the Planning Commission, who had said that Bangladeshis could also live in India. The chief minister clarified that his government would not file an FIR against her.

“If I file an FIR, then she will collect contributions from different parts of the country to fight the case. She will be only enriched,” Sarma remarked. However, he added that if she visits Assam, the state government will take legal steps as necessary.

By addressing this issue, Sarma reiterated his firm stance on the problem of illegal immigration, which has been a politically sensitive subject in Assam for decades.

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Security challenges and future plans

The chief minister concluded by underlining the challenges Assam faces due to its long and porous border with Bangladesh. He said outfits like JMB attempt to exploit this situation to expand their network and disturb the state’s communal harmony.

He assured that the government will continue to maintain strict surveillance in the sensitive districts and will not hesitate to take tough measures to prevent law and order issues. The arrest of Bepari, he said, is proof that Assam’s security agencies are working tirelessly to protect citizens and dismantle any radicalisation efforts.

The state government is expected to keep a close watch during the festival season, especially in districts near the border. Sarma’s statements made it clear that the administration will continue to combine vigilance on the ground with legal measures to address both radicalisation and the long-standing issue of illegal immigration.