Thiruvananthapuram: Police in Kerala have arrested nearly 10 people on suspicion of links to Daesh.
The arrests were made after the National Investigation Agency swooped down on suspected Daesh supporters in Kannur and Kozhikode districts and from Coimbatore in neighbouring Tamil Nadu state. The gang members were held on Sunday.
Local media reported that another Keralite was arrested on Monday from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. The suspect was identified as a native of Thodupuzha.
Police believe the alleged Daesh supporters may be about a dozen-strong, and that a few of them may have already gone abroad.
The majority of suspects were apprehended on Sunday from Kanakamala near Panoor in Kannur district, and from Kuttiyadi in Kozhikode district. Based on information collected from them, NIA could apprehend their associates based in Tamil Nadu.
Reports indicated that the police team comprised officials from Kerala, Delhi, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
The arrests were the result of continuing investigations by the NIA into the case of nearly two dozen people from Kerala disappearing apparently after associating with Daesh.
Following the police operation against the suspects in Kannur district, a large number of local residents got wind of the development and rushed to the spot where the suspects were apprehended. The police vehicles could move away with the apprehended persons only with great difficulty.
