From poaching to terrorism: Assam Police's STF list out major wins in 'revival' effort

Guwahati, Jan. 6: The Special Task Force (STF) of the Assam Police outlined the details of its operations in the past 20 months during a press meet held at the Assam Police Headquarters, on Monday.

Referring to the period between March 2023 and December 2024 as the task force’s "revival," Special Director General of Police (SDGP) Harmeet Singh and STF Chief Dr Partha Sarathi Mahanta highlighted the successful operations, arrests, and seizures achieved during the period and more.

“The Assam Police STF was notified in 2008; however, it did not take effect on the ground. Initially, the STF focused on cases like rhino poaching and a few other matters, but there was little tangible action or results. Today, the STF has evolved to not only provide safety and security to the people of Assam but also to address the national and international implications of larger crimes,” said SDGP Singh.

‘Poachers are well-connected with terrorists’

Highlighting achievements in curbing wildlife crime, SDGP Singh revealed that the STF had arrested six poachers and seized a significant amount of animal parts, including two rhino horns, over the past 20 months.

Decoding wildlife smuggling networks in the Northeast, Singh stated, “Poachers are well-connected to terrorist groups across the region. Shooters from Manipur and Nagaland collaborate with over-ground workers and linkmen. Rhino horns are smuggled into international markets through Myanmar, and the proceeds are used to fund terrorism.”

STF Chief Mahanta added, “In 2022, not a single rhino was poached. We are committed to ensuring rhino poaching does not happen and will strive to nip it in the bud. Only two horns have been recovered during this period because rhinos are no longer killed in Assam.”

‘Small scale peddlers pose significant threat’

Addressing the issue of drug trafficking, SDGP Singh highlighted the Union Home Minister’s directive for a comprehensive approach. “Unless we work from top to bottom and bottom to top, as mandated by the Union Home Minister, we will not be able to dismantle drug networks,” Singh said.

He further explained, “When we seize large consignments of drugs and weapons, it disrupts major networks. However, small-scale drug peddlers also pose a significant threat as they directly affect our youth. Petty peddlers operating in areas such as Panbazar, Paltanbazar, and Basistha are responsible for spreading drugs across various strata of society.”

STF Chief Mahanta added that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the STF to tackle the issue of petty drug peddlers in the state.

‘We nabbed ISIS India chief’

The STF has recently gained attention for dismantling sleeper cells of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a banned terrorist outfit affiliated with Al Qaeda in Bangladesh.

Speaking about the STF’s efforts to combat terrorism, SDGP Singh highlighted the arrest of the ISIS India chief in March 2024 and the launch of Operation Praghat. “In March 2024, Haris Ajmal Farooqui of ISIS was captured in Dhubri, along with his associate Anurag Singh, alias Rehan, who had converted to Islam and whose wife is a Bangladeshi national. Operation Praghat, which began in December 2024, is ongoing.”

When asked about the leads from Operation Praghat, STF Chief Mahanta said, “Since Operation Praghat is ongoing, we will share details with the press when appropriate. It is not wise to divulge much at this stage.”

On the subject of Rohingyas, Singh added, “The STF has carried out operations against the Rohingyas as well. However, capturing them alone is not enough. Their network across Tripura, Assam, and other Northeastern states has been dismantled.”