JMB spreads tentacles to Meghalaya
Shillong: The terror network of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) is trying to spread its tentacles in Meghalaya’s bordering areas of Bangladesh, even as the Meghalaya Police has decided to interrogate Sahanur Alam, the key-accused in the October 2 Burdwan blast case.
Meghalaya Director General of Police PJP Hanaman told reporters on Tuesday that a team of state police would interrogate Sahanur about JMB’s activities in Garo Hills.
“So far we know that Alam went to Tura to evade police arrest but we are going to investigate into all aspects,” Hanaman said.
Shahanur, carrying a award of Rs 5 lakh award on his head announced by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), was arrested by Assam Police’s Special Operation Unit from his relative’s house in Nalbari district on December 5 and is now in custody Assam Police.
Interrogations by the Assam Police have established Shahanur’s involvement in the Burdwan blast and his links with the JMB, a senior police said in Guwahati on Monday.
Apart from Assam and West Bengal, a top intelligence
official said the Bangladesh-based terrorist group has tried to set up its safe sanctuary in the plain belt areas of Garo Hills and also to recruit Muslim youths to join the outfit.
In fact, the arrest of Shahanur would surely throw more light about JMB’s activities and its plan of action in the strategic Garo Hills.
During interrogation by Assam Police, Shahanur confessed that prior to his arrest he was hiding in a Garo village under Gambegre assembly constituency bordering Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district.
Although, Assam Director General of Police Khagen Sarma said Shahanur ‘s visited Garo Hills mainly to evade police arrest and not for his “organisation purpose”.
However, intelligence officials who are following up the Burdwan blast maintained that Shahanur ‘s visit to Garo Hills is more than what meets the eye.
“There is more to Alam’s visit to Garo Hills. He cannot just simply get into Garo Hills without having personal contacts. We are trying to get more details from Alam the places where he visited, stayed and the people who he met during his stay in Garo Hills,” an intelligence official, meanwhile, told UNI on condition of anonymity.
So far 10 persons, including Alam, his wife Suzena Begum and brother Zakaria Ali, have been arrested in Assam in connection with the Burdwan blast case. (With inputs from UNI)
