Stephan Kayyar
Daijiworld Media Network - Kasargod (SP)
Kasargod, Jul 10: Reports emanating from various sources including media about the possibility of 12 missing persons from the district having joined hands with IS terror organization have sent shockwaves through family circles and neighbourhoods of these youngsters.
Some of these family members themselves have suspicion that their wards would have begun working for IS. The issue of their mysterious disappearance has left several questions unanswered.
Isa and Fathima (Nimisha)
In the meanwhile, the first ever complaint about this development was filed in Chandera police station on Saturday July 9, with a family complaining that two youngsters from Padanna have been missing since a month. The names of the missing persons have been given as Mohammed Sajid and Mursheed from Padanna Kavuntala, Dr Ijaz Ahmed and wife Rihaila from Padanna, their two-year-old child, Ijaz's brother Shifaz (an engineer), his wife Ajmala, Abdul Rashid Abdulla from Trikkaripur, wife Ayesha and two year-old baby, Hafeesuddin, Marvan Ismail, Ashfaq Majeed, and Firoz.
On Saturday, Bindu, a native of Attukal in Thiruvananthapuram, said her daughter Nimisha converted to Islam after marrying Isa, a resident of Palakkad, who is also said to have converted. Nimisha, who studied at a dental college in Kasargod, has made no contact with her family since November. Bindu said Nimisha had told her about plans to visit Sri Lanka. "I had contacted the police and hoped they would at least take action on the missing complaint, but no effort was made to track them," Bindu told reporters. As per reports, Nimisha changed her name to Fathima.
Isa's brother Yahya and his wife Miriam, both of whom are also reportedly converts, are also missing, sources said. Miriam’s parents, based in Kochi, said their daughter had converted to Islam and the couple had travelled to Sri Lanka once. They said they were in touch with her daughter till about three weeks ago. Isa's parents have filed a missing complaint in Palakkad.
The missing are learnt to have been in Sri Lanka till early June before their families lost contact.
The suspicion that these persons, who have remained untraced since a month, have joined IS is gaining wider acceptance. Kerala government has issued orders for urgent investigation into the issue. National investigation agencies have also joined hands in the probe.
Since about a month, 18 people, who had left Kasargod and Palakkad districts for tour and other reasons have gone missing. This number includes two couples having young children. A person named Abdul Rashid, it is gathered, had left for Mumbai searching job along with wife and children. But there is no trace of Rashid ever since. Therefore it is being suspected that they would have joined IS, and some family members too have developed this suspicion. A few messages and video footage sent by some of the youth who had lost link with parents, have supported this suspicion.
Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, himself has taken serious note of this development. He has ordered urgent investigation into these missing cases. Zilla panchayat member here, V P P Mustafa, giving information about this case said that the missing youth have sent WhatsApp messages to their parents in which they expressed their determination not to return to India, explaining that the place where they have reached has fine administration, and inviting the parents to join them.
Another message says that the concerned had joined IS to fight against America. The missing youth had completed higher education. The parents say that these people had told them that they were going to the Gulf region for higher studies on Islam. In a video clip, a young doctor has claimed that they have reached Islamic State and that they will fight till death henceforth.
All things have made police to believe that these people have joined ISIS terrorist organization. Kerala police have undertaken in-depth investigation. The state intelligence department however said that no response can be given about this development now and plunging to a conclusion at this stage is not possible as detailed investigation has to be conducted.
Father of one of the missing youth, Hakim, speaking to a private news channel, said that the family would welcome his son if he comes back as a good citizen. He said if not, they would not like to even have a glimpse of his corpse.
In a nutshell, the incidents of missing persons has kicked up lot of interest and apprehension. Central intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, has also decided to send a team to the district to pool information. State director general of police, Loknath Behra, said that as of now there is no evidence to prove that the missing persons have joined IS. He added that investigation is being carried out on the basis of complaints received and available information.
The director general of police has instructed northern range additional director general of police to hold detailed investigation in the matter.
With PTI inputs