Fifteen arrested by Assam Police for social media post supporting Taliban

The arrests were made since Friday night and they have been booked under different sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IT Act and CrPC. 

Special Director General of Police GP Singh tweeted that the Assam police have arrested people “for social media posts regarding Taliban activities that have attracted provisions of law of the land.” 

Singh also advised people to be careful about inflammatory social media posts, including retweeting them or liking them, as their actions could invite penal action. 

Deputy Inspector General Violet Baruah also urged people to help law enforcing agencies keep tab on such social media posts. 

Baruah tweeted, “we're registering criminal cases against such persons. Please inform the police if any such thing comes to your notice.” 

Among those arrested are two people each are from Barpeta and Dhubri, and one each from Darrang, South Salmara, Goalpara and Hojai districts, police said. 

Two persons have been arrested from Kamrup (Rural) district also, with one of them being a constable with the state police. 

“An Assam Police jawan and a school teacher have been arrested for supporting Taliban through social media. We are interrogating them and more people could fall into our net soon,” Kamrup (Rural) superintendent of police Hitesh Chandra Roy said. 

Among three Maulanas arrested is Maulana Fazlul Karim, who is a secretary of the state unit of the Jamiat-e-Ulema and also a general secretary of state’s opposition All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF). 

An AIUDF spokesperson told PTI that Karim is being suspended from the party till completion of an enquiry. 

The arrested people also include four from the three Barak Valley districts. While two people have been arrested in Karimganj, one each has been apprehended from Hailakandi and Cachar districts, police officials added. 

The person arrested in Hailakandi is a MBBS student at Tezpur Medical College in Sonitpur district, a senior police officer said. 

DIG Baruah told PTI that another person has been arrested in Baksa district on Saturday on similar charges for posting material on social media supporting the Taliban. 

“We have one such case in Baksa so far. One person, who claims to be a journalist and also a teacher in Gobardhana area of the district, has been arrested,” she added.