STF arrests Assam man, 21, for links with Pak-based Shahzad Bhatti terror group

In Assam's Hailakandi district, a 21-year-old man named Fazal Islam Barbhuiyan has been apprehended by the Special Task Force (STF) for alleged connections to the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN). The STF conducted a joint operation with the Hailakandi district police to make the arrest, which occurred on the morning of August 26, 2026.

In a previous operation on July 25, three men - Akramul Islam, Aminur Rahman, and Abdul Hussain - were arrested in Dhubri, Chirang, and Barpeta districts respectively. The STF seized their mobile phones, Aadhaar cards, bank passbooks, and a large collection of tampered religious scripts during the operation. The STF's Superintendent of Police, Pranab Kumar Pegu, revealed that the suspect was identified during interrogations related to the July case, leading to increased surveillance on him and his actions.

Evidence shows that the suspect was in contact with terrorist groups through various social media platforms, including Instagram. The STF suspects that Pakistan-based groups were using social media to influence locals and prepare sleeper cells in Assam. The investigation into the network began after an arrest in Nalbari in May, based on intelligence reports of alleged connections between locals and the Pakistan-based network.

Indian security forces had previously thwarted SBN's plans for subversive attacks ahead of Independence Day in August 2026. The network is believed to have ties with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and it is suspected that they were attempting to establish a network in Assam and the Northeast. Fazal Islam Barbhuiyan is currently being questioned and further probe is underway.