Chirang jihadi camp was masquerading as martial arts centre

Trainee cadres, including the module’s kingpin Burabhai, on the run as cops uncover clues of JMB's plot to expand base in State

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Sept 27: The training camp of a Jammat-ul Mujahiddin Bangladesh (JMB) module busted at Daukhagar in Chirang district recently was opened under the cover of a martial arts training school, investigations have revealed.

Chirang superintendent of police Ranjan Bhuyan said the camp was started in September 7. "It was in a preparatory stage. We got a tip-off and busted it," he told The Sentinel.

Police have information that there were around ten cadres undergoing training there.

However, though police have arrested ten people so far, all are not cadres. Some were organizers and associates.

Investigations have identified one Ashique alias Burabhai of Barpeta as the main kingpin of the jihadi module.

"We are looking for the other cadres who had undergone training besides Ashique," said a senior police official.

Noting the recovery of around 28 army fatigues from the training camp besides arms and ammunition, police believe that the JMB had plans to penetrate further into the State.

"Perhaps, the JMB wanted to spread out their bases further to other places in the State," the official said.

Six people having links with the jihadi module were bbed from Goalpara and Chirang on Friday, taking the total number of arrests to ten. Two country-made AK-47 rifles, two barrels and three mobile hand-sets have been seized from their possession.

Sources said that tiol Investigation Agency (NIA) will take up the case soon and conduct further investigations.

The JMB module in the State came to light following investigations into the blasts at Burdwan in West Bengal on October last. Security forces had bbed Sahanur Alam, a key operative of the JMB from the State few months back.

According to Additiol Director General of Police (SB) Pallab Bhattacharya, jihadi activities in the State are not new. "It has been there in the past. But after the 2012 riots in BTAD, some forces became quite active. Initially, they were involved in indoctriting youths. Later, they began setting up modules and bases. However, we are closely watching the situation," he said.