The Assam police Thursday arrested six people for alleged links to Bangladesh-based terror group Ansar-ul Bangla Team. All six, who are residents of Barpeta district, have been booked under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the authorities said.
This follows another set of arrests in Barpeta last month when five people, including a Bangladeshi national, were booked for alleged links with the same group. The two sets of arrests are linked, said Barpeta superintendent of police Amitava Sinha. “They have been indoctrinating and radicalising people here,” the SP said, adding that one of them was part of the Popular Front of India (PFI), a controversial Muslim outfit.
The accused, who are in the age group of 28-45, were produced in court on Friday and sent to police custody for 10 days. The police said they recovered 15 mobile phones, 20 SIM cards and other literature from those arrested. “We can’t comment on what is incriminating in it, it is being examined,” Sinha said.
Following the arrests in March, the case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Earlier this month, the NIA conducted a series of raids across eleven locations in Barpeta and Bongaigaon districts in connection with the case.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
