Another madrasa demolished in Assam, police claims built on illegal land, principal arrested

Police and administration demolished Shaikhul Hind Mahmudul Hasan Jamiul Huda Islamic Academy located in Dhakaliapara area of Barpeta on Monday morning and arrested its Principal Mahmunur Rashid.

Barpeta:A madrasa allegedly constructed on government land was demolished and its teacher was arrested in Assam's Barpeta on Monday with police claiming that the religious educational institute had links with alleged terrorists arrested a day earlier.

Police and administration demolished Shaikhul Hind Mahmudul Hasan Jamiul Huda Islamic Academy located in Dhakaliapara area of Barpeta on Monday morning. The Principal Mahmunur Rashid was also arrested by police. On Sunday, police arrested two persons Akbar Ali and Abul Kalam Azad from a house in Sorbhog area of the district claiming that the duo had connections with Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), and were connected to the madrasa as well.

"An eviction drive was also conducted by the police in a Madrasa in Barpeta because it was constructed on the government land illegally," said SP Barpeta, Amitava Sinha. The arrested have been remanded to 10 days of police custody by the court. So far, 37 persons have been arrested for their alleged links with AQIS/ABT in Assam.

According to police, two Bangladeshi terrorists linked with AQIS/ABT had stayed at the Madrasa. One among the two Bangladeshi terrorists Mohammad Suman alias Saiful Islam was arrested by police earlier but another terrorist is still absconding.

"Mohammad Suman alias Saiful Islam @ Harun Rashid, a citizen from Narayanganj district of Bangladesh who illegally entered India, married to a local girl, established and run the academy since 2019 was arrested by Assam police in March this year for allegedly working on behalf of Ansar Ullah Bangla Team to radicalize Muslim youth in the name of Jehad. ABT was reportedly affiliated to Al Qaeda," an official said.

Four other persons who had been allegedly radicalized by Suman were also arrested by police from different parts of the district. Reacting to the demolition of the madrasa, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said: "This is the second madrasa we evicted as they were not running as an institution but were running as a terrorist hub. I don't want to generalize, but we investigate & take appropriate action when a complaint of fundamentalism comes."

Earlier this month, the Morigaon district administration demolished Jamiul Huda madrassa in Moirabari, established and run by one Mufti Mustafa who was arrested for his alleged link with ABT.