Mangaluru: While Kerala has always been known as ‘God’s Own Country’, it is in a way evidently breaking out of this glorious identity and inching towards grabbing a notorious status of being a fertile recruitment ground for world’s dreaded terror outfit-ISIS.
As per recent reports, Kerala state has become the state with most number of wanted persons with Red Corner notice being issued to 23 people. Until 2014, Maharashtra was topping the list with 24 Red Corner notices.

In 2014, Kerala had 19 persons on the most-wanted list, of which 12 were charges pertaining to terrorism. The numbers only shot up to 23 in 2015 and now the numbers are likely to shoot north as the National Investigation Agency has sought Red corner notices to be issued against 19 more persons who are believed to have joined the Islamic State. Red Corner notices are pending against P P Yusuf and K P Sabir, the duo that went absconding after terror-related charges were slammed against them in Kerala and other states. This list also includes five women who are suspected to have joined the IS in Afghanistan. The application for the same will soon be sent to Interpol Secretariat.

It may be recalled that Kerala’s inglorious connection with the IS came to light only when 23 persons missing from state were traced to IS controlled regions.

Meanwhile, as per unconfirmed reports, a man from Thalassery was detained by the cops at the Mangalore International Airport couple of days ago suspecting that he was going to join the IS. However, the man who was travelling to Dubai along with his family members was questioned and sent back to his home town. Lookout Notice was reportedly issued against this man sometime ago by the Kerala police, it is said. However, neither the airport authorities nor the Kerala police have confirmed this.