Top ISIS Leaders Apprehended in India by STF Team
Desk Report, March 20, 2024: In a significant breakthrough, two high-ranking ISIS operatives in India were captured by a Special Task Force (STF) team in the Dhubri Sector. The operation, led by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, IPS, IGP(STF), and Kalyan Kumar Pathak, APS, Addl SP, STF, was executed based on credible intelligence regarding their intended infiltration across the border for sabotage.
The suspects, identified as Haris Farooqi, the alleged leader of ISIS in India, and his associate Anurag Singh, were intercepted in the Dharmasala area of Dhubri early on March 20, following their illegal crossing of the international border. Both individuals, sought by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), were promptly apprehended and transported to the STF office in Guwahati.
Haris Farooqi, also known as Harish Ajmal Farukhi, hails from Chakrata, Dehradun, and is purportedly the head of ISIS operations in India. His associate, Anurag Singh, who converted to Islam, is reported to be married to a Bangladeshi national. The duo is described as highly radicalized and influential within the ISIS network in India.
Authorities have linked the apprehended individuals to various activities, including recruitment, terror financing, and orchestrating terror plots nationwide. Multiple cases against them are pending with the NIA in Delhi and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Lucknow, among others.
Following their capture, the STF, Assam, is preparing to transfer the suspects into the custody of the NIA for further legal proceedings. The successful operation underscores the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and safeguard national security.
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