Guwahati:

Assam police’s Special Task Force (STF) has been in the news for the past two years with several very successful operations to unearth terror modules. The specialised unit of Assam police has turned itself into a potent ‘strike force’ within two years, after remaining rather dormant from 2008 when it was first created. 

Led by senior IPS officer Parth Sarathi Mahanta, Assam STF has recently unearthed Bangladesh-based groups, Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), which is an affiliate of Al-Queda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), sleeper cell modules, which were activated recently for suspected terror strike in eastern India. 

The success rate of the STF has dramatically increased, with 254 successful operations in 2023-2024, compared to just 111 between October 2008 and February 2023. Arrests have more than quadrupled, reaching 482 in the recent period.

STF has reported a sharp increase in successful operations from March 2023 to December 2024, as compared to the previous tenure from October 4, 2008, to February 28, 2023.

Speaking to reporters, Assam Police’s Special DGP, Harmeet Singh said, “Under the direction of Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, we revived the STF led by DGP GP Singh with Inspector General Partha Sarathi Mahanta at the helm of affairs. The STF’s main job is to keep people of the state safe and to look after larger aspects of the crime both at international and national.”

In an ongoing effort to secure Guwahati city, the STF has conducted 152 operations between March 2023 and December 2024, leading to the seizure of over 13 kg of heroin, almost 4,000 kg of ganja, and thousands of psychotropic tablets, showing the relentless commitment of the STF to keep Assam free from illegal activities.

The STF has expanded its scope by tackling terrorist and extremist organizations. Between March 2023 and December 2024, 21 extremists were arrested, including members of ISIS, ULFA, and Maoist groups, signalling a concerted effort to address terrorism. This is in stark contrast to the absence of such arrests before March 2023.

Wildlife smuggling, fake currency operations, and gold smuggling also saw significant action, with the recovery of items like ivory, rhino horns, and fake gold totalling over 20 kg, in addition to the recovery of Rs. 63.88 lakh in cash.

The STF’s role in the illegal trade of Burmese areca nuts and tobacco products has also been highlighted, with over 57,000 kg of supari and 2.2 lakh packets of tobacco seized, alongside a staggering Rs. 5.71 crore tax penalty.

The STF arrested 18 individuals involved in illegal activities, including touts and infiltrators from Bangladesh and Myanmar. Speaking on the issue, Special DGP Harmeet Singh stated, “All the anti-national intrusions, whether in Kashmir, Punjab, naturally, the enemy will come through the neighbouring country. Whoever wants to ruin India will come from the neighbouring country.”

Karimganj, Assam:

Assam Rifles in a joint operation with the police apprehended one person and seized 10,000 Yaba tablets worth Rs 1 crore in Assam’s Karimganj district on Monday, officials said.

Karimganj ASP Pratap Das said that the seizure was carried out in Badarpur police station area upon information about transportation of narcotics.

“We had source information about transportation of narcotics. Accordingly, we launched an operation in Badarpur police station area and apprehended one person Dilwar Hussain choudhary (23 years old) of Katigorah area. The market value of the seized drugs is estimated at around Rs 1 crore,” ASP Pratap Das said.

The police said that a vehicle has also been seized during the operation.

Further investigation in the case is underway, they added.

Earlier on October 6, police seized 1.5 kg of illegal drugs valued at Rs 3 crore in Karbi Anglong district and apprehended two persons.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Guwahati:

An encroachment eviction drive faced resistance from locals when a mob allegedly turned violent and attacked police and government officials in Assam’s Kamrup (Metro) district today, sources said. Two people were killed in retaliatory police firing, while 11 were injured in police action. At least 22 government officials and policemen were injured in the mob attack, Assam Director General of Police GP Singh said in a statement. The Guwahati Police have been directed to identify all the miscreants involved in the attack on government officials and take action, he said.

The two killed in the firing have been identified as Haider Ali and Juwahid Ali. Both died during treatment at the Sonapur district Hospital, sources said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the eviction drive proceeded peacefully initially, but the situation escalated when the Congress began opposing it.

The police and administration officials were clearing encroachments at Kachutoli village near Sonapur in Kamrup (Metro) district when they came under attack from a large mob, sources said. Revenue Circle Officer Nitul Khatoniar and four police officers, including a woman constable, were injured. The eviction drive had tried to clear alleged illegal settlers from a 100-bigha plot in the area, where over 150 people live.

The eviction drive had been going on peacefully for the last three days until Thursday, sources said.

Reference incident of attack on Government officials on duty at Sonapur, Kamrup Metro – Revenue authorities of Kamrup Metro have been carrying out eviction proceedings from the government land in the notified tribal belt of Sonapur Revenue Circle of Kamrup Metro since Sept 9th… pic.twitter.com/jnLBMSBc7S

— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) September 12, 2024

On the fourth day today, the police and the officials allegedly came under heavy stone-throwing by the encroachers, sources said, adding many police vehicles were damaged and vandalised. They were also attacked with sticks and sharp objects, sources said.

The police and paramilitary forces opened fire to control the situation, they said. Sources said the first three days of the eviction drive were conducted without a significant security presence.

The Assam Police in a statement said 248 bigha (155 acre) of government land and 237 illegal structures constructed by people who were not authorised to build them in the tribal belt have been cleared. The anti-encroachment drive began on September 9.

In September 2021, two people were killed and 15 policemen were injured in clashes between alleged encroachers and the police during an eviction drive in Assam’s Gorukhuti.

Guwahati:

The Assam Police is on a high alert along the India-Bangladesh border to ensure that no person enters the state illegally in view of the unrest in the neighbouring country, a top officer said.

The Centre has issued a directive that no person be allowed to enter India from Bangladesh illegally, Director General of Police G P Singh said.

“The BSF is the first line of defence along the border and the Assam Police as the second line is also on a high alert,” Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a book launch here on Saturday.

”There is, however, a rider that Indian passport holders, mostly students and traders, will be allowed to enter if their documents are found valid after due verification,” the DGP said.

Another directive has been issued by the Centre that citizens of the neighbouring country will be escorted back to Bangladesh after due verification of their passports and visas through a safe corridor, he added.

”Besides these movements, there has been no entry of any person to the state… the Assam Police are conducting joint patrolling with the BSF,” he said.

Regarding measures taken for the ensuing Independence Day celebrations in Assam, the DGP said that adequate steps have been taken to ensure fool-proof security in the state.

“The SPs have been directed to beef up security in the parade grounds,” he said.

The top police officer recently visited several districts of Upper Assam to review security arrangements, following reports of the presence of a group of ULFA (I) militants along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.

”We reviewed the prevailing situation with the police, army, CRPF and Assam Rifles and discussed necessary steps to be taken to neutralise the group,” he said.

He urged the outfit not to indulge in violence and create disturbances when increased investments had led to economic prosperity in the state.

”If the ULFA(I) has anything to say, both the central and state governments are ready to hold talks with them,” the DGP added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Guwahati:

The Assam Police on Friday arrested four individuals for their alleged involvement in a drug syndicate. In a joint operation, the Assam Police and the Special Task Force (STF) conducted raids at two locations in the state’s Karimganj and Cachar districts, seizing drugs worth over Rs 120 crore.

According to the police, the accused have been identified as Noimul Haque, Fuzail Ahmed, Atiqur Rahman alias Atik, and Jagajit Deb Barma alias Barman.

Acting on a tip-off, the police seized 3,50,000 Yaba tablets and 1.3 kg of heroin from 100 soap cases, which were found inside the “secret chambers” of a 12-wheeler truck.

The value of the seized drugs in Karimganj district is around Rs 115 crore, Assam Police IG Parthasarathi Mahanta said in his statement.

In another recovery in the neighboring Cachar district, police seized 18,000 Yaba tablets worth Rs 5.5 crore at Kathal Road in Silchar.

Guwahati:

Eleven years after they thrashed a person to death at a market in Assam, six police personnel have been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Tinsukia District and Sessions Judge Dipankar Bora, on Wednesday, handed the life terms to the six policemen under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to reports, one Ajit Sonowal was beaten to death by the six policemen at Ambikapur market in Tinsukia district’s Sadiya on October 7, 2013. Sonowal was taken to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh where he later died.

His father filed a First Information Report at the Sadiya police station two days after the attack. A chargesheet was filed and the court, after considering the evidence and the arguments, found the six police personnel guilty.

New Delhi:

A deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in Assam was on Sunday arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping a minor domestic help.

He has been identified as Kiran Nath and was posted at the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy in Golaghat district.

The victim, 15, alleged that she was repeatedly raped by the senior police official. She said that Nath had forcibly confined her at his residence and used to torture her with the help of his family members.

Her family members lodged a complaint at the Dergaon police station on Saturday, following which a case was registered against him on Sunday.

Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Gyanendra Pratap Singh said that Nath has been arrested on the basis of evidence that has come up during the investigation.

“Zero tolerance towards sexual misconduct amongst police personnel remains corner stone of the policy of Assam Police,” Mr Singh said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Reference allegations of sexual misconduct towards the housemaid by a DSP posted at LBPA Dergaon – Case No 42 under section 376,506 of IPC and Section 6 of POCSO Act has been registered at Dergaon PS, District Golaghat.
DSP Kiran Nath, presently posted at @LBPA_Assam has been…

— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) March 17, 2024

Nath has been arrested under section 376 (raping a female under sixteen years), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012.

Police said that they have recorded the statement of the victim and other witnesses, and are further investigating the matter.

Nagaon, Assam:

A minor girl was allegedly raped and killed by a relative in Assam’s Hojai district, police said on Sunday.

The body of the girl was recovered from her house on Saturday night, they said.

The family members have alleged that she was raped and killed by a relative when she was alone in the house, a police officer said.

“The body has been sent to Nagaon Civil Hospital for post-mortem. We have launched an investigation, and are on the lookout for the accused,” he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)