Assam cracks down on posts praising delhi blast: 17 arrested, over 100 accounts under probe

Gauhati: In the aftermath of the horrific car bomb blast near Delhi’s Red Fort metro station that killed at least 13 people and injured several others, the shockwaves are now being felt far beyond the capital.

While security agencies worked swiftly to prevent what officials say could have been a far larger coordinated terror attack across the country, a disturbing trend emerged online—individuals celebrating or glorifying the deadly blast.

Taking immediate and uncompromising action, the Assam government has arrested 17 individuals for posting content that “praised” or “supported” the Delhi explosion. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, addressing the media, said the state will not tolerate any attempt to glorify terrorism, directly or indirectly. He confirmed that over 100 social media posts are currently under investigation, and more arrests will follow if necessary.

According to Sarma, the arrests were made across multiple districts. Those detained include Rafijul Ali (Bongaigaon), Fariduddin Laskar (Hailakandi), Inamul Islam (Lakhimpur), Firoz Ahmed alias Papon (Lakhimpur), Shahil Shoman Sikdar alias Shahidul Islam (Barpeta), Rakibul Sultan (Barpeta), Naseem Akram (Hojai), Taslim Ahmed (Kamrup), and Abdur Rohim Mullah alias Bappi Hussain (South Salmara), among others.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the crackdown is part of a broader effort to prevent extremist narratives from taking root.

Sarma made it clear that law enforcement has been instructed to identify anyone attempting to “valorise violence.” As many as 35 individuals from different districts have already been identified, and investigations are underway to determine whether any of them have links outside the state, including Bangladesh or other foreign entities. “If anyone is found to have foreign links, strict action will follow,” Sarma warned.

He also clarified that minors and individuals who may have unknowingly posted content from shared devices will not face arrest. However, he stressed that those responsible for deliberately glorifying the terror attack will be dealt with firmly. “Some people are now deleting their posts, but we have screenshots. Action will be taken,” he added.

The Chief Minister also took a sharp dig at certain groups who, he claimed, had previously protested against the government in the Zubeen Garg issue but were now “welcoming” the Delhi blast on social media. He termed such behaviour unacceptable and deeply insensitive to the victims.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police and central agencies continue their investigation into Monday’s devastating explosion, which was triggered by a car packed with explosives and detonated near the Red Fort metro station. Preliminary findings suggest that a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed operative, identified as Umar Mohammad, orchestrated the blast as part of a larger plan to carry out 32 coordinated explosions across the national capital—reportedly a “revenge attack” linked to the Babri Masjid demolition.

While the nation reels from the terror attack, Assam’s strong crackdown sends a clear message: attempts to glorify violence or provide ideological support to terrorism will not be tolerated, online or offline.

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