Guwahati: An IIT-Guwahati student who had allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and was en route to join the extremist group, has been arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act UAPA. The accused Touseef Ali Farooqui, who is a 4th-year student of Bioscience, was detained on Saturday.
Farooqui recently stated on a social media platform and via emails his intention to join the terror organisation. He subsequently went missing from the IIT-Guwahati campus.
The terrorist organization ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, is designated as a terrorist group by many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.
IIT Guwahati student detained
“Reference IIT Guwahati student pleading allegiance to ISIS – the said student has been detained while travelling and further lawful follow up would take place,” Director-General of Police (DGP) GP Singh posted on X.
Additional Superintendent of Police (STF) Kalyan Kumar Pathak stated that upon receiving an email, authorities initiated steps to authenticate its contents and launched an investigation. The email, sent by the student, purportedly declared his intention to join ISIS. “After receiving an email, we got about to verify the authenticity of the contents and started an investigation. The email was sent by the student, in which he claimed that he was on the way to join ISIS," Pathak said.
Pathak said that they promptly reached out to the authorities at IIT-Guwahati, who disclosed that the student in question had been reported as "missing" since noon, and his mobile phone was also turned off.
He further added that the student is in his fourth year and is originally from Okhla in Delhi.
The ASP said that a search operation was initiated to locate him, and he was apprehended in the Hajo area, approximately 30 km from Guwahati, in the evening with the help of local residents.
Probe underway
“After initial questioning, he has been brought to the STF office. We are verifying the motive of the email,” Pathak said.
He said that a black flag, “purportedly similar to that of ISIS”, was discovered in his hostel room and is being sent for verification to specialised agencies responsible for dealing with banned organizations.
“We are going through the items seized, it is early to say much. We are investigating the intention of sending the email. The student has given some details, but we cannot disclose anything further now,” Pathak added.
ISIS India head arrested
Earlier on March 20, ISIS India head Haris Farooqi alias Harish Ajmal Farukhi and one of his associates Anurag Singh alias Rehan were arrested in Assam's Dhubri region after they got over from Bangladesh, police said. In an explanation, Assam Police Chief Public Relations Officer Pranabjyoti Goswami said they were captured from the Dharmasala region by the Special Task Force (STF) following a clue.
His partner Anurag Singh, pseudonym Rehan of Panipat, changed over completely to Islam, while his better half is a Bangladeshi public figure, he added.
"Both of them are highly indoctrinated and motivated leaders and members of ISIS in India. They had furthered the cause of ISIS in India through conspiracies to carry out recruitment, terror funding and terror acts using IEDs at several places across India," the CPRO said.
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