NEW DELHI, Sep 22 (TOI): Intelligence agencies in Delhi were in for a shock recently when a girl, who did her graduation from a reputed Delhi University college and went to Australia for her further studies, showed an interest in the activities of Islamic State.
Sources said she even seemed keen to join the terror organization whose brutality has dwarfed the notoriety of al-Qaida.
The girl, born to Hindu parents, reportedly developed interest in IS while she was in Australia, top sources said. She was counselled and de-radicalized by Intelligence Bureau and National Investigation Agency officers.
Top officials in the government claimed that it was the first such case where a Hindu girl was found interested in joining IS, which set alarm bells ringing. However, they clarified that she was not able to contact anyone in the militant outfit and was only at the stage of checking its motivational material on the internet.
The agencies were alerted by her father, who is a retired Indian Army lieutenant colonel, about two-and-a-half months ago. The father sought the NIA's help in counselling her after seeing material related to IS on her computer and social networking pages. The agencies suspected that she may have been in touch with IS operatives on the internet and during her three-year stay in Australia.
The NIA, along with IB, is learnt to have counselled the girl and tried to de-radicalize her for the past several weeks and let her go after nothing was found against her. Senior officials, however, said she was being kept under watch.
"People she met and studied with in Australia may have influenced her thoughts for the cause of Islamic State but we are yet to establish anything. She may have been brainwashed there," said an official.
The government, meanwhile, said it was closely monitoring activities connected with the terror outfit in the country and taking necessary action. "The matter is being closely watched by agencies concerned. Whenever required, action will be taken," minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju told reporters.
He was responding to a question on deportation of four Kerala youths from the UAE for their alleged links with IS. "We will take action at an appropriate time," he said.
Asked about the Delhi girl planning to join IS, Rijiju said the government has taken note of the issue. "We have taken note of it. The agencies have taken certain action and I believe those are right action," he said.