Following a complaint lodged by a 16-year-old boy, alleging that he was coerced into joining the Islamic State terror group, Kerala police have filed a case against his mother and stepfather under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the Venjaramoodu police station, which falls within the Thiruvananthapuram rural police jurisdiction.

According to the Superintendent of Police KS Sudarsan, the case was initiated based on the teenager’s complaint, though no further legal action has been taken yet. “We are currently investigating the veracity of the boy’s claims against his parents. Once we have clarity on the matter, we will decide on the next course of action,” Sudarasan said.

The teenager, who is from his mother’s first marriage, alleges that after his mother remarried, she converted to a different religion and, along with her new husband, moved to the United Kingdom.

The boy claims that while in the UK, his mother and stepfather would show him videos related to the Islamic State and pressure him to join the militant group. After returning to Kerala, the boy was reportedly admitted to a religious institution, where his behavioral changes raised concerns among the authorities.

These concerns led the institution’s staff to alert the boy’s biological father, prompting him to file the complaint. The police are now investigating the claims and the potential involvement of the parents in radicalizing the teenager.

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