THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: About 15 youths, including a doctor couple, hailing from Kasargod are reportedly missing and their relatives strongly suspect that they joined the Islamic State. Police sources, however, said that they only had information about six youths reportedly missing since May, but were yet to confirm reports that they had joined IS. The state police had also alerted the Central intelligence agencies about the developments.
State police chief Loknath Behera declined to comment on the matter citing that the information was yet to be verified. Kasargod MP P. Karunakaran had brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the latter assured to follow it up. A police party collected details from relatives of some of the youths on Friday evening.
Those missing include four couple, three bachelors and two kids, all hailing from Trikaripur and Padanna areas of Kasargod. Couple of youths from Palakkad were also said to be among those missing. Certain messages sent by some of the youths with jihadi flavours strengthens the suspicion of the relatives that they joined the IS. Most of the youths hailed from well to do families and are professionally qualified.
A close relative of one of youths missing from Kasargod told this newspaper that the youth had left home on May 28 for Kozhikode where he used to go frequently for Islamic studies. However, he later informed that he was going to Sri Lanka for study. "Earlier this week we received some messages with a jihadi tone and supporting IS from him, which triggered the suspicions that he joined IS. Since the messages were being sent through an Internet based communication software, we can't trace their location or can't even call them back," said Salam, a relative.
It may be recalled that many youths hailing from north Kerala were deported from Gulf countries last year following their suspected acquaintance with IS cadres. There were also strongly suspected attempts to recruit cadres to IS though social media campaigns.
