At least 23 Indians have joined ISIS out of which at least 6 have been killed in Iraq and Syria.
The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested three people from Nagpur airport for trying to join Islamic State (IS), according to media reports.
"The three men were planning to join ISIS. The three men are from Telangana and have been handed over to Telangana ATS," said Maharashtra ATS in a statement.
This week, three Mumbai youth were suspected to have joined ISIS, but were traced near Pune. Two former Indian Mujahideen members are also suspected to have joined ISIS. A 16-year-old Pune girl was also on her way to join the group before being apprehended.
Related Read: ATS questions 16-year-old Pune girl 'radicalised' by ISIS sympathisers
Indian Oil Corporation marketing manager arrested for ISIS links
Three missing youths - Wajid Shaikh (25), Mohsin Sayyed (26) and Ayaz Sultan (23) -- all from the Malvani area in western suburb of Mumbai -- had left home allegedly to join the fundamentalist terror group operating in Syria and Iraq.
A day after Shaikh returned to Mumbai, another untraceable youth, Noor Mohammed, also from suburban Malwani, came back home on Thursday, police said.
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is probing reports that he, along with three others - Wajid Shaikh, Mohsin Sayyed and Ayaz Sultan - had left home to join the terror outfit. Noor was the fourth youth who disappeared from Malwani area, a western suburb of Mumbai, in mid-December to reportedly to join the IS.
While Noor is back home, Wajid was tracked down by ATS sleuths near Pune and was brought to Mumbai on Wednesday and let off after interrogation. The whereabouts of two other youths (Sultan and Mohsin) are still not known, police said.
Sultan went missing on October 30 and Wajid and Mohsin since December 16, a police official had said.
The Modi government has been trying hard to identify youth who are planning to join the Islamic State, and has organised deradicalisation programmes among other things for those caught trying to do so.
The annual conference of DGs and IGs of police in Gujarat on December 19 had ISIS recruitment in India on top of its agenda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh were also present throughout the day and attended various sessions. Home Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the fact that the influence of ISIS has witnessed an increase in India’s neighbourhood, particularly Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Prior to this, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had stated that India would be willing to participate in anti-ISIS operations if the same were to be conducted under the flag of the United Nations. However, the government had distanced itself from the statement.
At least 23 Indians have joined ISIS out of which at least 6 have been killed in Iraq and Syria.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "ISIS flag")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}