Islamic State most active in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra: Govt

NEW DELHI: Pointing to NIA investigations that have found Islamic State (IS) as most active in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, the home ministry on Wednesday said cyber space was being closely watched by the security agencies to track online IS-related searches and activity in India.
“IS is using various internet-based social media platforms to propagate its ideology. Cyberspace is being closely watched in this regard by the agencies concerned and action is taken as per law,” MoS (home) G Kishan Reddy told Rajya Sabha in written reply to a question.
He said NIA had registered 17 cases related to presence of IS in southern states such as Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, in which a total of 122 accused were arrested.
“Some instances of individuals from different States, including Southern States, having joined Islamic State (IS) have come to the notice of Central and state security agencies,” said Reddy.
Islamic State and its various manifestations like Islamic State of Iraq and Levant, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Daish, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), ISIS Wilayat Khorasan, and Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K) have been notified as ‘terrorist outfit’ and included in the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.