In India in December 2024, state police forces and specialized task forces spearheaded a series of meticulously planned counter-terrorism operations, exposing a deeply entrenched network of jihadi sleeper cells linked to Bangladesh-based terror organizations operating in the states of Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal. Their focus was particularly on the strategically vital Siliguri Corridor, a narrow stretch of land connecting mainland India to its northeastern states, often referred to as the “Chicken’s Neck.”
The Assam Police Special Task Force led “Operation Praghat,” which culminated in the arrest of multiple jihadi operatives affiliated with the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a Bangladeshi terror organization sharing close ties with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). One key operative among those arrested was 36-year-old Bangladeshi national Md. Sad Radi, also known as Shab Sheikh. He had entered India in November 2024 in order to propagate the jihad ideology and coordinate the establishment of sleeper cells across the country. His arrest in Kerala marked the end of a weeks-long period of surveillance. He had reportedly traveled to Assam and West Bengal in order to meet other ABT activists and lay the groundwork for the subsequent operations.
Two more accused terrorists, identified as Abdul Zaher Sheikh and Sabbir Mirdha, were arrested on December 25 in Assam’s Kokrajhar district. Both had strong connections with Bangladeshi handlers. Another one, Gazi Rahman, was arrested on December 30 and was found to have played an influential role in recruiting local youth into their jihadi network. These arrests brought the total number of detained individuals in Assam to twelve by the end of December.
The West Bengal Police STF also uncovered a sleeper cell of Islamic jihadis in Murshidabad district, and arrested two operatives named Abbas Ali and Minarul Sheikh. Both have connections with the Ansarullah Bangla Team, and were targeting the Siliguri Corridor. This corridor is critical for India’s logistical and military connectivity, and disrupting it would threaten India’s national security. Due to its vital and volatile nature, even India’s homegrown jihadis, posing as student leaders, incited their followers to disrupt law and order, and were subsequently put behind bars. Days after the Murshidabad arrests, Javed Ahmed Mushi, a suspected terrorist of the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), was detained from South 24 Parganas in West Bengal in a joint raid carried out by the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal.
The extensive reach of the ABT’s network is evident from the arrests happening in Indian states including Kerala, which are geographically distant from Bangladesh. After Md. Sad Radi’s arrest, it was revealed that he had coordinated with various individuals in Bangladesh and Pakistan to smuggle resources and spread Islamic jihad propaganda. Kerala is already noted as a hub for logistical operations of Islamic jihadis and Islamic State recruits. Now, Radi’s movements underscore their attempt to establish a broader network across southern India.
The detainees relied heavily on fake identities and documents, and were supported by cross-border handlers who provided logistical support, training, and funds. They were also using encrypted messaging platforms to maintain secrecy in communications.
The counter-terrorism operations yielded a trove of evidence, underlining the seriousness of the threat. The police have seized a 16 GB pen drive containing detailed blueprints of terror activities, indoctrination materials, and financial transactions linked to the ABT. Security forces also confiscated mobile phones with traces of incriminating messages and recorded conversations with handlers in Bangladesh and Pakistan. They also recovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs), live ammunition, a hand grenade, blank cartridges, and propaganda material including jihadi literature printed in Bangladesh.
These recent investigations have revealed a complex web of terror activities aimed at disrupting India’s stability. The Siliguri Corridor was a primary focus for disruption, given its critical role in maintaining connectivity with the northeastern states. The security forces also thwarted the plans to assassinate leaders of Hindu organizations, including those from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which could have provoked communal violence, resulting in more Hindu deaths at the hands of rampaging Muslim mobs. Recruitment drives in Muslim-majority districts such as Murshidabad and Alipurduar to expand the terror group’s footprint highlight the large numbers of youth harboring jihadi sentiments in such areas.
With the ABT evolving their strategies to focus on spreading the jihad ideology and creating operational bases in India, the porous Indo-Bangladesh border, which stretches over 4,000 kilometers, enables illegal crossings and smuggling of contraband, including arms and ammunition. This vulnerable and vastly unguarded border has made states such as West Bengal and Assam susceptible to infiltration by Islamic jihad groups.
While the arrests and seizures are a significant victory, they also emphasize the necessity for sustained vigilance, enhanced and more vigilant border security, and robust intelligence-sharing mechanisms against the jihadi forces that are targeting India.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Despite all these developments, India still doesn’t recognize Bangladesh as an enemy. Which is why despite being a tinpot 💩🕳, their infiltrators are getting into India and doing whatever they feel like. As if India was the Lilliput out here
Narendra Modi is as effete and effeminate as Justin Trudeau