We are okay in Islamic State: Kerala youths contact family

A FEW among Kerala’s missing youths, who recently left the state reportedly in search of “true Islamic way of life”, have got in touch with their families in Kasaragod district.

In a latest such incident last Friday, Ashfaque, a native of Padanna in the district, sent a voice message to his family via the Telegram messenger.

According to police sources, he told them that he was fine and also asked if his mother was okay. The Telegram App message, self-destructive in nature, disappeared soon. The youth’s sister, sources added, could not communicate back.

Meantime, similar messages have also reached other families, which reported missing young men over two weeks back. Where the whereabouts of these youths are not known, but there are fears that they have joined the Islamic State.

“We are monitoring the situation. We don’t want to spoil the communication channels they have established with families

Certain messages have asked families ‘why are they staying in this hell’, sources said

for various reasons. A few of the missing youths have sent short messages to their families indicating that they are all right in the Islamic state. We have not so far ascertained whether they are in the Is-controlled region or in a place where orthodox Islamic way of life is possible. Certain messages have asked the families ‘why are they staying in this hell’,’’ sources said.

On Sunday, Kerala Police brought Arish Qureshi and Rizwan, who were arrested in Mumbai over a case registered in Kochi about a missing convert to Islam, Merin alias Miriyam. Her brother had alleged that the duo, associated with Islamic Research Foundation, had forced Merin to convert.

Police sources said the arrested persons seemed to be familiar with the disappearance of the youths. However, to what extent they know about the incident has to be ascertained, they said.