Guwahati: Assam Police’s Special Task Force (STF) arrested a 31-year-old man in Kamrup on Monday for alleged links to a terror module connected to a Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti network.Mrigen Saloi was apprehended from a rented house at Gauripur under Changsari police station on Monday, police said.“During the operation, incriminating articles, including electronic devices and documents, were seized from his possession,” the officer said.Saloi, a resident of Belsor in Nalbari district, worked for a company in Changsari. Investigators found that he was allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based individuals suspected of being associated with the network, police said.His arrest took the number of accused held in the case to five. The others were earlier arrested from Dhubri, Chirang, Barpeta and Hailakandi districts.Police said the STF was investigating extremist and “anti-national” networks. The Shahzad Bhatti network allegedly operated under the direction of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), using handlers in Pakistan and encrypted communication channels.According to police, it was linked to alleged frontal organisations including the Khalistan Armed Force, Punjab Sovereignty Alliance, Khalistan Liberation Army, Sher-e-Punjab Brigade, United Sikh Brotherhood, Sikh Tigers of Khalistan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Hindustan.The STF is probing the operatives’ links with the wider network and identifying others who may be involved.
