Locals demolish ‘tainted’ madrasa in Assam’s Goalpara district

This is the first instance of voluntary demolition of an Islamic educational institution after three were bulldozed by the government in August.

Locals demolishing madrasa in Goalpara district of Assam. This madrasa allegedly employed two Bangladeshi nationals, now absconding, linked to terror outfits. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

GUWAHATI:

The residents of a ‘char’ or sandbar in western Assam’s Goalpara demolished a madrasa that had employed two suspected Bangladeshi nationals linked to terror organisations, the police claimed on September 6.

The locals of Darogar Alga village on Pakhiura Char also brought down a house that adjoined the madrasa. The two suspected Bangladeshi nationals – Aminul Islam and Jahangir Alom – used to stay in this semi-permanent structure, a statement issued by the Assam police said.

This is the first instance of voluntary demolition of an Islamic educational institution allegedly misused by “anti-India forces” after three in Morigaon and Bongaigaon districts were bulldozed by the local authorities in August.

“The voluntary demolition was an outcome of the strong resentment towards the jihadi activities that were being run from the madrasa,” a spokesperson at the Assam police headquarters said.

The police had a few days ago arrested one Jalaluddin Sheikh who had engaged Islam and Alom as teachers at the Darogar Alga madrasa at different times during 2020-22. “The two Bangladeshi nationals, both members of the Bangladesh-based radical outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team, have been absconding,” the police said.

On September 4, Assam’s Director-General of Police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said some Muslim MLAs and heads of four Islamic organisations that together run more than 1,000 private madrasas, had promised to take action against madrasas and mosques involved in “jihadi” activities.

He also said a web portal would be launched specifically for madrasas to upload their details such as location, authorisation certificates, names and addresses of teachers, the number of students and other relevant information.

Mr. Mahanta justified the move to monitor the madrasas. “Our objective is to stop international conspiracies by al-Qaeda and rogue organisations such as (Pakistani) ISI to turn Assam into their jihadi playground,” he said.