Kerala: Parents of youths who allegedly join ISIS lodge missing complaint
Kasargod/Kochi: The number of people who have allegedly joined the Islamic State from Kerala rose on Saturday with the families of three youths lodging missing complaints with the police.
The families of two youths, Mohammad Murshid, 28, and Mohammad Sajid, 28, belonging to Padanna, who have reportedly joined the IS along with 11 others from Kasargod, filed man-missing complaints with the police on Saturday. Chandera SHO E. Anoop Kumar said that the complaints were filed by Murshid’s brother and Sajid’s father. The two were employed in Abu Dhabi and had told their relatives on May 30 that they were in Mumbai and that they would reach Padanna on Eid, Mr Kumar told this newspaper. District superintendent of police Thomson Jose said that the police were aware of only two cases. “The reports about others appeared in the media only. We have not been told about any central agency probe and none has contacted us,” he said.
Another native of Kochi, identified as Merrin was among the group of persons who allegedly joined the IS Police sources said the family members of Mariam hailing from Thammanam suspected their daughter being a part of the group that allegedly left to join the IS. The parents said they have not received any information from her for the past three months after she had left for Sri Lanka to study Islam, officials said.
Merrin, married to Bestin Vincent, a Christian boy from Palakkad, had reportedly converted to Islam along with her husband. The couple changed their name after conversion with Merrin becoming Mariam and Bestin adopting the name Yahiya.
Merrin’s mother Mini told reporters that she had observed changes in the behaviour of her daughter while working in Mumbai. Merrin had visited Sri Lanka with her husband a few months back and later returned. The family had warned her about visiting Sri Lanka and the traps laid by Yahiya to link with extremist groups.
Bexon Vincent, brother of Yahiya, had also reportedly converted to Islam along with Nimisha a girl hailing from Thiruvananthapuram. Nimisha alias Fathima, who too was missing along with her husband, was a BDS student at Poinachi in Kasargod.
Meanwhile, all the 14 persons from Padanna and Thrikaripur are either relatives or family friends. The relatives of the rest, who were reluctant to approach the local police as they feared harassment, decided to complain directly to the Chief Minister.
The missing from Kasargod are Dr K. Ijas, his wife Refila, two-year old kid, Ijas’s brother Shiyas, his wife Ajmala, Ijas’s cousin Ashfak Majeed, his wife, eight-month old kid, Abdul Rashad Abdulla, his wife Ayisha, T.K. Hafeesuddin and Firos. All are in the age group of 24-31. Ijas worked at a primary health centre near Vadakara in Kozhikode for some time and his wife is a dental student.
