Kerala DGP, while interacting with local Television channels, remarked that the state had become a recruitment base for terrorist groups like ISIS.
Loknath Behera, the outgoing state police chief, revealed that radicalisation has posed to be a primary plague in Kerala, which according to him, is attributed to the high literacy rate in the state.
He revealed that the terrorists target the educated youth and use them for “unlawful activities” across the world.
The DGP, while interacting with a local television channel, also revealed that the recruitment of people to the Islamic State had become a major cause of concern in Kerala, but now the figures have started to come down.
The state police have put in all their efforts to address the issue by carrying out de-radicalisation and counter-radicalisation programs.
“According to the inputs, Kerala is a recruiting ground because the people here are educated and the IS requires engineers and doctors. But we have dealt with it in a systematic way and it has come down,” he said.
The police had taken up the initiative to identify vulnerable people across the state, who were then made to undergo counselling with the support of their parents.
Behera stated that “After the exodus of 21 families to IS-controlled areas, we did lots of things. How many went after that? We have formed one of the best ATSs in the country and it is doing a great job behind the scene. That’s why there is not much concern. But we cannot be complacent,”
He also revealed that the suspected sleeper cells of terrorist groups had been put under strict police surveillance.
While commenting on the surrender policy that had been extended to the left-wing extremists, he said, “A new global tender has been floated to hire a modern helicopter that can be used against the Naxals. If they try to create violence, we will reply strongly,”
The DGP, who will retire on June 30, also stated that he has no hesitancy in invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the anti-terror law against such criminals. He said that he used to carry out the UAPA against such terrorists, given that the Parliament enacted it.