IS links: Phone details of 17 persons missing from Kasargod given to cyber cell

KOZHIKODE: The special team probing the missing of 17 persons from Kasargod has handed over all the phone details to the state cyber cell. The communications made by Dr Ijas Rahman, his wife Rifaila, Hafeezuddin and others were in the form of voice chats on WhatsApp and Telegram. “High technical expertise is needed to trace out the origin of the communication made through specially made apps,” said Kanjangad deputy superintendent of police, Sunil Babu Kelothumkandy, who is heading the special team.

He dismissed the visual media reports that Rifaila had contacted her relatives on internet phone on Sunday. “That was baseless. She contacted much earlier before the incident came to light. No development has taken place after registering the cases,” he told DC. The officer refused to comment on how the people go via Teheran if they proceeded to join IS as Iran is fiercely against the terror outfit.

“As per the central agencies, some had reached Syria and Afghanistan,” said district superintendent of police, Thomson Jose. Intelligence sleuths gathered information from the relatives of the missing persons on Tuesday also. Details were collected from the father of Firos Khan of Elambachy at Thrikaripur who was said to be in the custody of the National Investigation Agency.