Kerala woman says son-in-law among surrendered IS fighters in Afghanistan

The mother a missing Kerala woman suspected to have joined the Islamic State claimed on Wednesday she recognised her granddaughter and son-in-law from among those who reportedly surrendered in Afghanistan from photos published in some foreign dailies.

The Kerala police, however, said they do not have any information in this regard. Two days ago, there was another report that a surrendered Indian was identified as Sonia Sebastian, alias Aiysha (32), another missing person. “We are yet to get any conformation in this regard. We are in touch with the National Investigation Agency,” said state director general of police Lokanth Behra.

Bindu Sampath, mother of Nimisha, alias Fathima, who converted to Islam and has been missing with her husband since three years, said some of her well-wishers have sent some photos of the surrendered people and she recognised her granddaughter and son-in-law from them.

Bindu told television channels she recognised her son-in-law, Issah, alias Benson Vincent, from Palakkad and her granddaughter.

“My granddaughter was sitting on the lap of a burqua clad woman. It could be my daughter,” she told reporters. “I think the woman must be my daughter, Nimisha, who had left home with her husband in 2016 to join the ISIS.”

Bindu said she sent the photographs to Gracy, her son-in-law’s mother, who also recognised her son.

She also said in June 2018, she had received messages from her daughter, who had sent her granddaughter’s photographs. But after November 2018, there was no information, she said.

(With agency inputs)