In what comes as a shocker for the entire student community of IIT Guwahati, Tauseef Ali Farooqui, a final year student of Biotechnology at the prestigious Institute, has allegedly joined the terrorist group ISIS. His disappearance coincides with the publication of an open letter on his LinkedIn profile titled ‘An Open Letter’, where he expresses radical beliefs and his decision to renounce Indian institutions and society, deeming them un-Islamic. Farooqui discloses his intention to migrate (‘Hijrat’) to an ISIS-controlled region and fight for the group, outlining his planned travel route starting from Pan Bazaar in Guwahati.
Farooqui’s letter reveals his unwavering faith in Allah, disillusionment with secularism, and break with ‘Kafirs’ (infidels), calling for Hijrat. It attempts to justify his actions by interpreting Quranic verses and urging non-believers to convert to Islam.
Earlier, in a significant breakthrough, two top-ranking ISIS leaders in India, reportedly hiding in a neighbouring country, were apprehended by a Special Task Force (STF) team in the Dhubri Sector on March 20th. The team, led by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, IPS, IGP(STF), Kalyan Kumar Pathak, APS, Addl SP, STF, acted on credible information about their planned cross-border entry to carry out sabotage activities.
The accused, identified as Haris Farooqi, the head of ISIS in India, and his associate Anurag Singh, were detected in the Dharmasala area of Dhubri after crossing the international border. Both were brought to the STF office in Guwahati and identified as highly indoctrinated and motivated leaders/members of ISIS in India. Farooqi, also known as Harish Ajmal Farukhi, hails from Chakrata, Dehradun, while Singh, who converted to Islam, is from Diwana, Panipat, with his wife being a Bangladeshi national.
Farooqi and Singh are implicated in recruitment, terror funding, and planning terror acts across the nation. Their arrest is a significant victory in the fight against terrorism, thwarting potential threats and ensuring the safety and security of the nation.
Authorities are now closely monitoring the situation and working to prevent further radicalization and recruitment into terrorist organizations like ISIS. The collaboration between law enforcement agencies and intelligence services is crucial in identifying and neutralizing threats posed by extremist elements, ensuring peace and stability in the region.
As the investigation unfolds, the nation remains vigilant against the menace of terrorism, determined to combat radicalization and uphold the values of peace, harmony, and coexistence.
