This story is from April 19, 2016

BTAD riot victims being radicalized in Assam: Police

An upsurge in Islamic fundamentalism in Assam to avenge the violence against minorities after the 2012 riots in the BTAD has become a cause of concern and a challenge for the security forces.
BTAD riot victims being radicalized in Assam: Police
Guwahati: An upsurge in Islamic fundamentalism in Assam to avenge the violence against minorities after the 2012 riots in the BTAD has become a cause of concern and a challenge for the security forces. The arrest of Jahanur Alom on Sunday by state police in Kokrajhar district revealed that many riot victims might have already joined radical forces.

A joint team of Chirang and Kokrajhar district police has succeeded in arresting four jihadi militants in a series of operations in the Bhaoraguri and Tulsibil areas of the neighbouring districts. They were identified as Abu Bakkar Siddique, Ajijul Sheikh, Salam Ali and Jahanur. They were on the run after a training camp of the jihadi module was busted in September 2015 in Daukhanagar village.
Superintendent of police, Chirang, Shankar Brata Rai Medhi told TOI, "During interrogation, Jahanur said his house was torched by a mob during the 2012 violence at Tulsibil in Kokrajhar district. We are verifying the statement." There were at least two major incidents of violence against minorities in the BTAD in 2012 and 2014, in which over 100 people from the minority community were killed and around 4 lakh were displaced. This caused great resentment among the minorities.
Abdul Kalam Azad, a researcher working for the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Unicef said, "A huge section of people, including riot victims, are still struggling with their lives. They are vulnerable to such radical forces. The failure in the system to instil a sense of security among them has led many astray."
The SP added that jihadi modules had been trying to influence such people. "Abu Bakkar Siddique is a Madrassa teacher who was engaged by this module to indoctrinate youths and induct them into jihadi groups," the SP said.
Acting on information revealed by the arrested militants, police have recovered a revolver, a powerful grenade, seven rounds of M20 ammunition and two pairs of army fatigues in the Daukhanagar area.

A source said the module was running a door-to-door religious indoctrination programme in various vulnerable areas, targeting the riot victims. Police found three videos on mobile handsets seized during operations - two on atrocities on Muslims and one containing instructions on the use of arms.
A top cop claimed the militant outfit Muslim Tiger Force of Assam (MTFA) was formed to avenge the killing of minorities in the riots. The presence of jihadi modules in Assam first came to light when the probe into the Burdwan blast led to the arrest of jihadi cadres in lower Assam districts, including Jammat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadre Sahanur Alom and his wife.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi congratulated the state police and hoped they will be able to make a major breakthrough.
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