TURA: The successful dismantling of a terror module and arrest of three persons in Assam who, reportedly inspired by Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group, had planned to trigger a blast during the ongoing Raas Mela festival taking place in Dudhnoi town has set off alarm bells among security agencies in the state and Meghalaya given that both share a long border.
The over one-week-long Raas Mela ended on Monday with thousands of people thronging the venues, particularly in Dudhnoi town of Goalpara district, which is said to be the biggest fair in the region.
Dudhnoi is one of the main centres for hundreds of Garo-inhabited villages in neighbouring Meghalaya who regularly visit the town for business and shopping.
People from Resubelpara, Mendipathar, Bajengdoba and Kharkutta in North Garo Hills district have close contact with Dudhnoi for work, trade and travel, and the appalling news about a terror attempt has left people concerned.
The arrest of the three suspected terrorists from Goalpara district by a joint team of Assam and Delhi police on Sunday has once again brought to the fore the potential threat from fundamentalists and terrorists to this part of the region.
Delhi police have released a detailed statement mentioning that the three arrested men — Ranjeet Islam (24), Mukadir Islam (22) and Luit Zameel Zaman (24), all hailing from Krishnai area of Dudhnoi, were carrying a completely assembled and ready-to-use improvised explosive device (IED) which they planned to detonate at the Raas Mela currently taking place in Dudhnoi.
With Monday being the last day of the Mela, thousands of people from the length and breadth of Goalpara and also Garo Hills had thronged to the fair, and the terrorists had reportedly planned to trigger the blast causing mayhem.
“The timely intervention saved many lives as the Raas Mela has a heavy footfall. A team of Inspector Sunil Kumar Rajain was present at the spot for identification of the terrorists and they along with police party acted swiftly and apprehended the terrorists before they could place the IED at the Raas Mela,” stated the release from Delhi police special Cell.
Based on the interrogation of the trio, police raided two hideouts and recovered bomb-making equipment and other items, it was stated.
According to Delhi police, the three terrorists had been camping in Delhi for a long time to prepare the blueprint for the attack and returned to Assam only a week ago.
