Thiruvananthapuram / Palakkad: The state police will invoke the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the man-missing cases being registered in connection with the mysterious disappearance of 21 persons across the state. According to sources, UAPA would be invoked in those cases in which messages with a jihadi flavour were sent by the missing persons to their relatives. Once UAPA is invoked, the National Investigation Agency could take over the investigation.
Already the NIA and other central agencies are trying to track the sources of the messages. The investigation agencies have also sought the help of the internet service providers and service providers of the social media apps to track the source of the messages, it is learnt. Though there were reports that many of the missing have already reached Syria, top police sources said that there was no official confirmation to such reports.
ADGP Intelligence R. Sreelekha discussed the issues at a meeting of intelligence officials convened by the MHA in Delhi on Monday. Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiran Rijiju told a section of media in Delhi that so far there was no evidence of Malayalis joining the IS. “The intelligence agencies are verifying the information received so far. The MHA will give a formal reaction only after getting the facts,” he said.
A police team on Monday collected the statement of Thiruvananthapuram-native Bindhu, mother of Nimisha Fathima, who had disappeared from Palakkad along with husband. A case has already been registered in this connection. Meanwhile, the relatives of a person named Shiby of Kanjikode in Palakkad on Monday filed a complaint with Palakkad SP A. Srinivas saying that he had gone missing after he went to Oman on a one-month visiting visa.
It is learnt from police sources that Shiby is a friend of Yahiya of Yakkara, who is suspected to have joined IS along with his brother Easa and their wives. The relatives of Shiby told the police that he had last sent a greeting to the family on Eid and had not returned home though his visiting visa had expired.
