Kalaburagi: Two youths have been taken into custody for questioning over suspected links with terrorists through social media following a joint operation by the Central and Karnataka governments, state Home Minister Priyank Kharge said.
According to Kharge, the investigation has confirmed that one of the youths had links with terrorists, while further inquiry is underway into the other. Both individuals are from outside Karnataka, he said.
The minister added that five to six similar cases had been reported over the past two to three months. Referring to individuals from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, he said the government was treating suspected terror links seriously and would coordinate further action with the Centre.
Kharge said people could not be prevented from moving to Karnataka in search of employment but urged employers to conduct thorough background checks before hiring workers. He specifically mentioned factories, textile mills, coffee shops, domestic help and delivery services.
The state government will convene a meeting after the festive holidays with e-commerce companies, including Swiggy and Zomato, delivery and logistics firms, and homestay operators to discuss the issue.
Kharge said instructions had been issued to formulate a standard operating procedure (SOP) for employee background verification. The government will also examine whether verification can be expedited through local police stations.
The proposed measures are aimed at strengthening verification procedures while addressing security concerns linked to suspected extremist activities.
Further investigation into the two youths is underway, the minister said.