NIA intensifies hunt for JMB‑linked sleeper cells in West Bengal
Kolkata, October 01: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has intensified its action in search of youth associated with the banned radical terrorist organization Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in West Bengal.
The NIA investigation has revealed that people associated with JMB were allegedly trying to radicalize youth from various districts of the state and connect them with the organization.
On Tuesday, different teams of NIA conducted simultaneous raids in East Burdwan and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal and arrested four people. According to sources in the investigating agency, important documents have been recovered from the arrested accused, which contain the names of youth from various districts of the state, who were in constant contact with these accused.
The investigation also revealed that individuals associated with JMB were allegedly working in two phases to reach out to youth. In the first phase, messages related to JMB were spread on the social media platform Telegram using the name “Purva Akash.” After identifying young people who responded positively to these messages, the arrested accused contacted them individually or in small groups. They were then allegedly influenced to join the organization.
According to the NIA, after completing the initial process, these young people were contacted through encrypted chats. These conversations revealed discussions about establishing networks in different parts of the country and carrying out terrorist activities such as sabotage. It is alleged that the arrested accused were also running a crowdfunding system to raise funds on their own. Several mobile phones, SIM cards, and jihadi literature were recovered from them.
On Tuesday, the NIA first arrested Pir Mohammad Sheikh, an imam associated with a mosque in Palishgram village, under the Mangalkot police station area of East Burdwan district. Subsequently, Jumman Sheikh, Shahrul Purakayat, and Abdul Rafiq were arrested in South 24 Parganas district. Jumman Sheikh was arrested in Mithapukur, Shahrul Purakayat in Balrampur, and Abdul Rafiq in Narendrapur.
Meanwhile, the search for another JMB suspect, Mujibur Rahman, continues in West Bengal. On Tuesday, an NIA team raided and searched the home of Mujibur Rahman, a resident of Banshihari-Kushkari village in South Dinajpur district, but he was not found.
As part of the ongoing investigation to dismantle JMB sleeper cells, various NIA teams conducted simultaneous raids and searches at several locations in West Bengal on Tuesday morning, resulting in the arrest of four suspects.
