Alleged attempt to recruit teen to ISIS: Kerala police recommend NIA probe
Venjaramoodu police booked the boy's mother and stepfather under UAPA.
Venjaramoodu police booked the boy's mother and stepfather under UAPA.
Venjaramoodu police booked the boy's mother and stepfather under UAPA.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar has recommended to the state government that the case involving the alleged attempt to recruit a 16-year-old boy into ISIS be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The DGP has formally sought the government’s approval to transfer the investigation to the central agency, citing the seriousness of the allegations and their national security implications, IANS reported.
The Venjaramoodu police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after recording the boy’s statement. The boy’s mother and her second husband, who were settled in the UK, have been booked in the case.
According to the complaint, the woman—originally from Pathanamthitta—and her second husband from Vembayam had converted to another religion after their marriage. After taking the boy to UK, the couple allegedly tried to lure the child into joining ISIS by showing him religious propaganda videos. They also changed his school and admitted him to a religious study centre.
A team led by the Attingal Deputy Superintendent of Police is currently probing the case. With the offence falling under anti-terror laws and involving potential cross-border elements—including suspected ideological indoctrination through digital propaganda—the police chief has maintained that a specialised national agency is better equipped to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Meanwhile, sources indicate that the NIA has already begun a preliminary inquiry.
The development underscores the seriousness with which state law enforcement is treating the incident, which is being viewed as a rare case of attempted terror recruitment within a family environment.
Once the state government grants its approval, the case is expected to be formally handed over to the NIA for a deeper probe, including possible digital, international, and ideological links.
The teenager, who reportedly escaped from a religious study centre where he was allegedly being influenced, is currently under the care of his biological father's relatives.