Five of the 23 known Islamic State operatives from India are reportedly from Karnataka and three of the former are suspected to be dead.
The Karnataka police is yet to find out how the three people from Karnataka who died fighting for the IS were radicalised and then recruited by the IS, sources in the Home Department told Deccan Herald.
According to DH, the Internal Security Division, State Intelligence and Central Intelligence and Investigation agencies will now have to work on the issue.
A senior IPS officer told Deccan Herald, "There are many questions that need answers as it is the most sensitive issue considering the country’s safety and security. The police should unearth whether the trio - Mohammad Umar Subhan, Faiz Masood, both from Bengaluru and Maulana Abdul Kadir Sultan Armar, a resident of Bhatkal— knew each other and had left the country together and whether there was any IS agent who recruited them and sent to Syria/Iraq. It is also important to know if they were in touch with like-minded people back in Karnataka after leaving the country."
A report in The Times of India however states, "Police have been on denial, with city police commissioner NS Megharikh saying they have no information about any city youth dying in war-torn Syria. But according to sources, intelligence agencies had already interviewed the families of these recruits in the beginning of the year."
Intelligence officials said that while they have been successful in stopping the youth from joining terror outfits and talking part in terror missions, what is tricky is deradicalisation of these people, the TOI report adds.