IIT-Guwahati student Tauseef Ali Farooqui detained for alleged ISIS allegiance

An alarming incident at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT-Guwahati) has put the spotlight on the serious issue of radicalization within educational institutions. Tauseef Ali Farooqui, a fourth-year Biotechnology student at IIT-Guwahati was detained after he allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, a recognized terrorist organization, on social media and in emails. The student, originally from Delhi, went missing from the IIT-Guwahati campus before being found and detained in Hajo, Assam, approximately 30 km from Guwahati.

This incident comes shortly after the arrest of Haris Farooqi, the alleged head of ISIS India, indicating a broader concern over the radicalization of youth in the region. The student’s decision to join ISIS was announced via an open letter on LinkedIn and further communicated through emails, prompting the police to issue a lookout alert. His detention has sparked a broader conversation about the security measures in place at educational institutions and the challenges in preventing radicalization among students.

The Assam police’s Special Task Force played a pivotal role in the student’s detainment, with further investigations revealing the recovery of a black flag similar to that used by ISIS and an Islamic manuscript in his hostel room. The student was described as a loner, highlighting the complexity of detecting and addressing radical tendencies among individuals within educational settings.

This case underscores the importance of vigilance and the need for comprehensive strategies to combat radicalization, ensuring the safety and well-being of students while fostering an environment conducive to education and personal growth. The incident at IIT-Guwahati serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by educational institutions worldwide in maintaining security and preventing the spread of extremist ideologies among their student populations.