Police suspect more terror recruits from Kerala

KOZHIKODE: Following the investigation into the death of two suspected militants from Kerala in Jammu and Kashmir early this month, the police in Kerala's Kannur district say they suspect that more people from the state have been recruited for terrorist activities.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had on Thursday confirmed that two suspected  militants killed in a gun battle with the security forces in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of October were from Kerala.

One of them, Muhammed Fayaz, was a native of Kannur and the other, Abdul Rahim, was from Parappanangadi in Malappuram district.

Following the arrest of 24-year-old Chantitevida Faisal, who had taken Fayaz to Hyderabad for religious studies, the police have begun to suspect that more people may have been recruited from here to join terror groups in Kashmir.

"Faisal had taken three or four people from here. They traveled together and we have proof for that," Kannur Superintendent of Police S. Sreejith said.

Faisal was also identified by Fayaz's mother as the person who accompanied her son to Hyderabad in the first week of September.

Investigating officials are also trying to identify all others who accompanied Faisal to Hyderabad.

As the police on Sunday raided the houses of two people missing from their homes in Kannur and Kochi, speculations are rife that two more militants killed in encounter in Kashmir this month are Keralites.

While a police team led by Sreejith raided the house of a person identified as Fayeez in Kannur, another team searched the house of Muhammed Yasir in Kochi. Both men have been missing from their homes for the past few months.

Sreejith said he could not at the moment confirm whether Fayeez was the third man killed in Kashmir. "We are investigating the matter," he said.

In Kochi, a police team led by Superintendent of Police A.V. George raided the house of Yasir, but refused to comment on his whereabouts.

Alexander Joseph, father of Yasir alias Varghese Joseph, told television channels that his son had left home three months ago.

He said the police Saturday took away some photographs but they did not elaborate on their action. Joseph had reportedly converted to Islam recently.

K.S. Jangpangi, the additional director general of police (ADGP), north zone, refused to comment on the possibility that two more Keralites may have been killed in Kashmir.

"The entire investigation is being handled by ADGP Intelligence and I can't comment on it," he said.

ADGP Intelligence and the state police chief were not available for comments on the issue.