Indicating that the threat of Daesh spreading its tentacles in India is indeed real, the Home Ministry has acknowledged that the terror group has marked its presence in at least a dozen states across the country by recruiting individuals.
Replying to a query in Parliament, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy relayed that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered at least 17 cases related to the presence of Daesh in Southern States of Telangana, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and has so far arrested 122 suspects.
"NIA investigations have revealed that Islamic State is most active in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir," Reddy said.
Further elaborating on the subject, the Minister said that the dreaded international terror outfit has been using social media platforms to propagate its ideology.
"Cyber-space is being closely watched in this regard by the agencies concerned and action is taken, as per law,” Reddy further said while claiming that the government is also aware of the sources that have been funding the outfit.
The Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant/Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/ Daesh/ Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/ Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and all its manifestations have been listed as Terrorist Organisation and included in the First Schedule of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 by the Indian government.
*Daesh also known as Islamic State/ISIS/ISIL is a terrorist group banned by India, Russia and many other countries.