Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Assam police caught a 21-year-old man on Wednesday, August 26, in the Ramnathpur area of Hailakandi. The Special Task Force and local officers tracked him down together. This arrest follows a wider investigation into the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network. He is the fourth person captured in connection to this group since July 25.
Police found several documents on the suspect during the raid. Previous arrests occurred in Dhubri, Chirang, and Barpeta districts. Officials say the network orchestrates IED blasts, grenade attacks, and targeted killings throughout India. These operatives scout police stations, military installations, and religious sites. They also install hidden cameras to spy on sensitive locations.
The agency claims the arrest is part of their "sustained investigation and action against extremist and anti-national networks and their operatives." The network reportedly pays locals to carry out these hostile acts.
Updated at 26th August 2026 at 6:00pm
Investigators identified the 21-year-old suspect as Fazal Islam Barbhuiya. He was wanted under STF Police Station Case number 06/2026 and had been actively evading arrest before the Ramanathpur operation.
Beyond the documents previously reported, security forces seized additional objectionable materials from the scene. Officials are now examining these items to map the full scope of Barbhuiya's connections and hunt down other co-conspirators in the network.
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