Sikkim Police Arrest Man on Allegation of Promoting Banned Extremist Group's Ideology on Social Media

Man held in Sikkim for spreading IS ideology on social media; charged under UAPA.

PTI, June 30, 2026, Gangtok:  A 19-year-old man has been arrested in Sikkim's capital on the charge of spreading the ideology of the Islamic State terror outfit through social media, police said on Tuesday. The accused has been charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA.

Upon receiving information earlier in June that extrem
ist ideology was being propagated, police began an investigation, which revealed that an Instagram account — Group of Islamic Members — was being used to spread Islamic State ideology among the youths, officials said.

Subsequently, six people were detained for questioning, they said, adding that, of them, Md. Arju (19) was arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Information Technology Act and the BNS.

The other five were released on bail bonds, but were named in the FIR registered in the matter.

According to officials, Arju's evasive answers during interrogation raised suspicion, prompting investigators to check his belongings, which led to the seizure of a mobile phone, laptop, iPad and other electronic devices.

The mobile phone contained several incriminating materials and his accounts on X, Instagram and online messaging app Telegram were named with Islamic State insinuations, they said.

The Group of Islamic Members on Instagram had discussions on funding militant groups and circulation of fake currency, officials said, adding the accused’s phone had WhatsApp chats with Pakistani mobile numbers.