Guwahati, Jan 16: In a significant development, the Special Task Force (STF) of Assam Police has arrested a senior functionary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), an outfit banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Information from sources had alerted the STF that a CPI (M) leader, identified as Amiruddin Ahmed (54), alias Sunil alias Surjya, and a resident of Satsiya Pokia village under Fakirganj police station in Dhubri district, would be arriving at the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) here from Barak Valley.
Accordingly, an STF team reached the ISBT and picked up the CPI (M) leader in the evening hours of Monday.
Official sources on Tuesday said the accused had joined the organisation in 2009, and is currently officiating as the mass organiser in Cachar area as well as observer for Dibrugarh. He was camping in various Adivasi-inhabited areas of Barak Valley and working for organisational activities.
It may be mentioned that his wife, Nirmala Biswas alias Seema alias Subhra, is also a senior functionary of CPI(Maoist) and is operating from West Bengal.
A case has been registered at STF police station, and the arrested leader has been produced in court. “Necessary legal action will follow,” police said.
It may be recalled that following the arrest of veteran Maoist leader Arun Kumar Bhattacharjee alias Kanchan Da, a member of Central Committee of CPI (Maoist), in March 2022, Assam Police had claimed that the outfit was trying to create a red corridor in the Northeastern states to wage war in a coordinated way with other organisations with similar ideology.
The state police force had then said that the CPI (M) wanted to set up a core committee in Assam to facilitate the command and control of the organisation to arrange weapons for terror financing; increase membership and impart training to the comrades for arms struggle and to set up camps and coordinate with other similar organisations for unified action against the security forces.
The NIA had in April 2022 conducted searches at multiple locations across Assam and arrested an absconding lady Maoist cadre from Dibrugarh district besides detaining a couple in Karimganj for suspected Maoist links.