Assam Police Arrested Five; 34 Identified for Delhi Blast Support

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assam Police have arrested five persons and identified 34 others for their inflammatory posts on social media after the Red Fort blast. If the police find a link between these people and Bangladesh or any other country, they will act tough on them.

The five arrested persons are Matiur Rahman from Darrang, Hassam Ali Mandal from Goalpara, Abdul Latif from Chirang, Wahjul Kamal from Kamrup and Nur Amin Ahmed from Bongaigaon. The other 34 people identified hail from 16 districts of the state. After scrutiny, the police will also act against them.

Speaking to the media today, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "The Assam Police will continue to act swiftly and firmly against anyone misusing social media to spread hatred or glorify terror. Though many of them deleted their social media posts, we've screenshots of the posts with us. We'll act based on the screenshots."

The Chief Minister said, "Assam is in a difficult situation now. Anyone spreading hatred can enter among us and do anything to serve his purpose. If any incident occurs in Assam, that becomes damaging. We need to remain alert. There was a perception that educated people don't indulge in terror acts, but the blast at Red Fort has proved it wrong. Literacy has nothing to do with abetting terrorism. Instead of condemning jihad perpetrated by an educated lot, a section of people in Assam supports it. This is a desperate move to make the situation volatile in Assam. These people shout slogans seeking justice for Zubeen Garg, and they are out to abet jihad."

The Chief Minister said that the nation must re-examine its assumption about what drives people towards terror and ideological violence. "If someone can't sing Vande Mataram from their heart, no amount of education can make them loyal to the nation," he said.

The Chief Minister said that after the demise of Zubeen Garg, every Durga Puja committee had placed Zubeen Garg's portrait in the puja pandal. On the contrary, no portrait of the singer was seen at the 'ijtemas' (Islamic congregations) that took place in the state during the same period. "It's an indicator that only the Assamese can keep Zubeen Garg alive, not the people of doubtful nationalities," he said.

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