2 pregnant among 11 missing in Kerala

The Maharashtra police, which recently helped the Kerala police in the arrest of two persons from Maharashtra for radicalising people in Kerala, has learnt that there were two pregnant women in the group of 11 persons who have gone missing from Kerala. They were allegedly brainwashed into joining ISIS and wanted their children to be born in the ‘holy land’.

Sources said that investigation by anti-terrorism squad (ATS) officers has revealed that besides the two pregnant women, one other woman has taken her child along with her so that he can be inducted into ISIS’ activities from a young age.

It has been found that Arshid Qureshi, who was associated with IRF Foundation of Zakir Naik, and was recently nabbed from Navi Mumbai, was involved in brainwashing people into making them join ISIS, sources said.

“Officials have received some evidences related to the same. Officials are now the taking statements of witnesses. Qureshi is not at all cooperating with the investigation," an officer said.

A Mumbai ATS official said, “If we found any link that Qureshi had forcefully converted any person from Maharashtra into Islam, then we would take his custody.”

A week ago, Kerala ATS officials arrested two persons in connection with a case registered in Kochi for allegedly for forcing youth to convert to Islam and trying to recruit them to ISIS. Officials from Thane said the duo was taken to Kochi for further investigation on Sunday.