How Assam STF busted ISI handled terror network in major crackdown
Indiadailyupdate.com – In a significant counter-terrorism operation, the Assam Police Special Task Force (STF) successfully dismantled a sophisticated terror module connected to the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN). Officials confirmed on Saturday that three alleged operatives of the group were apprehended during the coordinated raid. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the development, stating, “We have arrested three jihadis linked with Pakistan.”
“So far, we have been arresting jihadis having links with Bangladesh. This is the first time we have nabbed jihadi elements having direct links with Pakistan,” CM Sarma declared during a press conference following a cabinet meeting.
According to comprehensive investigation findings and intelligence inputs compiled in the case file, the terror network is alleged to function in association with and under the strategic directions of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The operation revealed that Pakistan-based handlers maintained control through encrypted communication channels, as reported by STF Senior Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Pegu.
Coordinated operation yields critical evidence
An Assam Police spokesperson detailed that the Special Task Force executed a meticulously planned operation on Friday, receiving crucial assistance from district police forces in Dhubri, Chirang, and Barpeta. “During the operation, the STF apprehended one suspect each from Dhubri, Chirang, and Barpeta districts,” he was quoted as telling PTI. The successful raid also led to the seizure of substantial evidence, including five mobile phones, seven SIM cards, Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, debit cards, and various incriminating documents that establish the network’s operational footprint.
“Further investigation is in progress,” the spokesperson confirmed, indicating that more arrests and revelations may follow as evidence is analyzed.
Speaking extensively about the operation, STF Senior Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar Pegu explained that the raid was launched based on credible intelligence regarding the Shahzad Bhatti network’s activities. “The Pakistan-based terrorist-criminal network is allegedly involved in recruitment, online radicalisation, reconnaissance, logistics, espionage, illegal procurement of arms, establishment of sleeper cells, and facilitation of terrorist activities in different parts of the country,” PTI quoted him as saying.
The SSP further revealed that the network maintains connections with several front organisations, including the Khalistan Armed Force (KAF), Punjab Sovereignty Alliance (PSA), Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA), Sher-e-Punjab Brigade (SPB), United Sikh Brotherhood (USB), Sikh Tigers of Khalistan (STK), and Tehrik-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH). These affiliated groups are allegedly utilized to conceal the network’s operational structure and cross-border links, according to the SSP. Notably, this year the TTH claimed responsibility for two targeted killings of Punjab Police personnel on February 22 and May 24, highlighting the network’s active role in regional security threats.
The network’s activities in Assam first came to official notice during an investigation in the Nalbari district, which led to the arrest of an operative on May 22. This initial discovery paved the way for the comprehensive operation that ultimately resulted in the current arrests, demonstrating how Assam STF busted ISI handled terror elements operating through sophisticated international channels.
