Kolkata, Sept. 29 -- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday launched simultaneous raids at 16 locations across India as part of a counter-terrorism probe into Imam Mahmuder Kafila (IMK), a newly emerged manifestation of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
The operation covered five locations in West Bengal, 10 in Assam and one in Kerala. In Bengal, raids were conducted in South Dinajpur's Banshihari, East Burdwan's Mongolkot and South 24-Parganas' Budge Budge.
The NIA arrested four suspects, including mosque imam Piyar Mohammad Sheikh from Simulia in Mongolkot, Sheikh Jumman and Saharul Haque Purkait from Budge Budge, and Abdul Rafiq from Narendrapur. A suspect in South Dinajpur was found missing.
The searches came three months after the agency filed a chargesheet against 11 alleged operatives before the NIA Special Court in Guwahati.
The accused were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
According to the NIA, the probe has uncovered efforts to establish an underground network across eastern border states, radicalise vulnerable youth and recruit them into sleeper cells.
Investigators also alleged that clandestine meetings, religious indoctrination, circulation of extremist literature and digital propaganda were used to expand the network.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.