KOCHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has started a preliminary inquiry into the alleged disappearance of 11 persons from Kasargod who were staying in Dubai. NIA will be checking whether they had any links with the Islamic State (IS) or other extremist organisations abroad.Sources said the NIA has checked the matter with the local police and is trying to evaluate the evidence, which include the messages the missing persons sent to their relatives.
“The missing persons had communicated with their family members, claiming they were in Yemen and were undergoing religious studies like many other Dammaj Salafis,” the sources said. However, the NIA will be verifying the facts behind the migration of the persons to Yemen.
“At present, missing cases have been registered following the complaints from relatives. NIA will take over the probe only if the case is related to any anti-national and extremist organisation,” said a source.
The Kasargod police have registered two cases following complaints of two families going missing. The NIA will send a team to Kasargod as part of the preliminary probe. Earlier, more than 15 persons from Kasargod and 20 from Kannur joined the IS in Afghanistan and Syria, respectively. Kerala is among the south Indian states from where a large number of persons are joining extremist organisations abroad.