Hindu converts, graduates among 52 arrested by NIA
From the 52 ISIS suspects, the highest of 12 were from to Maharashtra, 11 from Kerala and 10 from Telangana
New Delhi, Jan. 19: Hindus and Christians converted to Islam besides Muslims were among 52 people arrested for allegedly being ISIS terrorists, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Thursday, adding they included engineers and post-graduates.
Almost 80 per cent of the accused had formal schooling and rest went to Madrassas, it said.
The agency registered a highest of 12 Islamic State (ISIS) terrorism-related cases and arrested these accused last year. It is the highest number of cases and arrests made by the NIA in a year since its inception in 2009.
Those arrested for allegedly being ISIS operatives were of different age group. A total of 28 were in 18-25 year group, 20 between 25 to 40 years and four were above 40 years, it said.
A highest of 20 accused were graduates or engineers, 13 were matric passed, 12 were diploma holders, four were senior secondary passed while three were post-graduates, the NIA said whe releasing data on the arrests. Of these 52 Islamic State-influenced persons held by NIA, 85 per cent of them are Sunni Muslims and rest are converted from Hinduism and Christianity, a senior NIA official said.
These persons hailed from various states across the country. A highest of 12 belonged to Maharashtra, 11 from Kerala, 10 from Telangana, five from West Bengal, four from Uttar Pradesh, three from Tamil Nadu, two from Rajasthan and one each from Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Those arrested were of different income groups.
As many as nine were from upper-middle income group. — PTI