Guwahati: Two more individuals have been arrested in Assam for allegedly defending Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, bringing the total number of arrests to 45, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed.
The two men, identified as Sajid Ahmed from Sonitpur and Rojan Ali from Goalpara, were detained as part of an ongoing crackdown against those supporting Pakistan on Indian soil.
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In a post on ‘X’, Chief Minister Sarma provided an update on the operation, stating, “So far, 45 Anti-Nationals have been parked in our jails. We are on the lookout for more.” The crackdown follows the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.
The Chief Minister had previously indicated that some of the arrested individuals would face National Security Act (NSA) charges, though not all. “Some have apologised and pledged not to repeat their actions,” Sarma explained. He noted that the arrested individuals would be categorized into three groups: habitual offenders, those seeking publicity, and those with political motives.
A committee will decide on applying the NSA, and Sarma emphasized that the decision would not be politically motivated. The crackdown was also in response to opposition AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam’s arrest on sedition charges for allegedly defending Pakistan’s involvement in the terror attack.
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Earlier, Sarma had warned of strict action against individuals raising “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans after the Pahalgam attack. He also called for public support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian Army in bringing the perpetrators of such attacks to justice.