A Guwahati court in Assam has granted 10-day police custody to eight individuals arrested for their involvement with the Bangladeshi terror group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). The arrests were made by the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police on December 19, 2024, as part of an operation aimed at disrupting sleeper cells linked to ABT operating in India.

The main suspect, Md. Sad Radi, a 36-year-old Bangladeshi national from Rajshahi, entered India in November 2024 with the intention of spreading ABT’s extremist ideology and establishing sleeper cells. Radi was arrested in Kerala after traveling through Assam and West Bengal to meet potential recruits.

The other seven arrested individuals include Minarul Sheikh, Md. Abbas Ali, Nur Islam Mandal, Abdul Karim Mandal, Mojibar Rahman, Hamidul Islam, and Enamul Hoque, who were apprehended from Assam and West Bengal. During the operation, authorities seized mobile phones, incriminating documents, and four pen drives, which are being analyzed for further evidence.

The ongoing investigation has revealed that the group was in contact with terrorist organizations based in Bangladesh and Pakistan, planning to establish sleeper cells in Assam and West Bengal for carrying out violent activities. These cells were intended to carry out subversive actions to disrupt peace and security in India.

The operation, named “Operation Praghat,” was conducted under the supervision of STF Chief Dr. Partha Sarathi Mahanta. Authorities continue to probe the group’s network and activities.