Assam: 11 arrested for alleged pro-Pak social media posts, CM warns of NSA

Silchar: The Assam police have arrested 11 individuals for their alleged anti-India and pro-Pakistan remarks on social media in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terror attack. This includes journalists, lawyers, Assam University student and others, police said on Saturday.

Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said they are tracing and chasing out the sympathisers of Pakistan and Islamic terrorism and those individuals will be prosecuted under the National Security Act (NSA).

Sarma said that the state police have launched a statewide crackdown on anti-India remarks and till Saturday morning, a total of 11 individuals, including a journalist, lawyer and Assam University student, have been arrested.

Attending an event in Cachar district’s Hatichera tea garden on Saturday afternoon, Sarma said, “Pakistan is a known enemy and their softness towards terrorism is also a known fact. But there are many sympathisers of Pakistan hiding in our society, and we are tracing and chasing them out.”

Sharing the names of the individuals, Sarma on Friday wrote on social media, “Assam will not tolerate any individual who, directly or indirectly, supports or defends Pakistan in connection with the heinous attack in Pahalgam.”

He further said, “As part of its intensified crackdown on individuals promoting anti-national sentiments, the Assam Police has made the arrests and further arrests are underway.”

The arrested persons have been identified as Md Jabir Hussain from Hailakandi, Md AK Bahauddin, Md Imran Hussain Borbhuiya, Baktar Hussain Barbhuiya and Md Javed Mazumder from Cachar, Md Mahahar Mia alias Md Mujihirul Islam from Morigaon, Md Aminul Islam from Nagaon, Md Sahil Ali from Sivasagar, Md Jarif Ali (25) from Barpeta and Anil Bania from Biswanath.

Police said that individuals were booked under 152 (sedition) and other sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, mostly for their social media posts related to the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Sarma said that those who are likely to repeat the offences would be prosecuted under NSA. “NSA is not for past crimes but for the offences likely to be committed in the future. If we feel that the arrested individuals may repeat the offences, we’ll consider prosecuting them under NSA,” he said.

The CM appealed to citizens to inform the police if they see any anti-India act. “Just inform us, we’ll take care of them,” he added.

A senior police official said that the cybersecurity cells across the state are monitoring the social media posts of ordinary people and the superintendent of police in all the districts has been asked to act promptly in such cases.

Sarma said that the central government is planning to give a strong answer to Pakistan about the Pahalgam terror attack. He also said that this attack will not destroy the peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Kashmir will return to normalcy again, and we’ll go there again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will set an example by giving Pakistan a strong answer, just wait and watch,” he said.