Kin of missing youth laud order

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The parents of some of the missing youth believed to be joined the Islamic State (IS) lauded the Supreme Court order to entrust the alleged “love jihad” case of Kerala to the National Investigation Agency.

They want the NIA to probe earlier cases also and said they are willing to depose before it.

While hearing the case, the NIA informed the Supreme Court that Akhila Ashokan’s (Hadiya Shefin) conversion to Islam and subsequent marriage to a Muslim youth was not an isolated incident. Her father contended that her daughter was a victim of so-called “love jihad”.

“It is a great relief for us. We would like the NIA to probe earlier incidents also. Nobody heard us properly,” said Bindhu, mother of Nimisha alias Fathima who is among the missing 21 from the state who reportedly joined the IS. Last month, she moved a writ petition in Kerala high court seeking its help to locate and repatriate her daughter.

Nimisha (27), a Hindu who converted to Islam and became Fathima, had gone missing with her husband Bexon alias Easa, a Christian convert, since June 2016. Bexon’s brother Bestin who changed his name to Yahiya was reportedly killed in the US drone attack a couple of months back.

“More than a year passed since the disappearance of my daughter who gave birth to a baby recently. Many agencies probed it but I am yet to get some concrete information. I really fear she will be used as a human bomb,” the distraught mother said adding that a well-oiled syndicate was working in the state to spot gullible victims and convert and despatch them to war-torn areas.

“...In my daughter’s case the main suspect is still around... Later my daughter was forced to marry a Christian convert...” Bindhu said.