Amidst growing concerns of extremist activity on campus, Assam Police have detained a student from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati over alleged links to terrorist organisation ISIS. The student, identified as Sohail Ur Rahman from Jammu, was apprehended following the arrest of another IIT-G student, Tauseef Ali Farooqui, who expressed support for ISIS and voiced intentions to join the group.
Sohail Ur Rahman, a resident of Lohit hostel on the IIT-G campus, is believed to be associated with Tauseef Ali Farooqui, the previously arrested student. As authorities intensified their probe into potential ISIS connections within the institution, Rahman has been taken into custody for questioning by the Assam Police’s Special Task Force.
Amidst growing concerns over the possibility of an ISIS module operating within IIT-Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that additional students and even faculty members are under surveillance in connection with the investigation. This suggests a broader effort to identify and neutralise any potential threat posed by individuals with extremist ideologies.
Tauseef Ali Farooqui, the student arrested earlier, has been remanded to police custody for ten days after appearing before a court. Described as deeply religious, Farooqui adheres to strict Islamic practices, regularly engaging in religious activities such as performing five daily namaz and studying the Quran. Despite denying direct involvement with ISIS, authorities assert that Farooqui’s radicalisation poses a significant concern, prompting heightened scrutiny of other individuals within the academic institution.
The involvement of IIT-Guwahati students in alleged ISIS-related activities follows recent arrests elsewhere in Bharat, including that of Haris Farooqi, identified as the head of ISIS in Bharat, and his associate Anurag Singh. The duo was apprehended by Assam Police’s Special Task Force after crossing Bangladesh and entering western Assam. They are currently in the custody of the National Investigation Agency.
Following the detention of the IIT-Guwahati student, authorities remain vigilant in their pursuit of ensuring the safety and security of the public, particularly within educational institutions where radicalisation efforts may occur.
