IS sympathiser had contacts in A.P.

Suspected Islamic State sympathiser Konakalla Subramanyam, who embraced Islam and changed his name to Omer, maintained contacts with youth in Machilipatnam and Pedana in Krishna district.

According to intelligence sources, Subramanyam used to attend Jamaat (a programme aimed at spreading religious activities) at different places. He requested local heads to be allowed to pursue ‘Alim’, a course in Arabic literacy, and Islamic law to become a religious teacher called ‘Alima’. When the locals rejected the request, he contacted the religious heads at Pedana and joined a madrasa in Tamil Nadu.

In the madrasa, he reportedly insisted that more Hindus should be convinced to embrace Islam and efforts be made to spread the activities of the community.

“While pursuing degree, he came to Vijayawada, met a religious head of Kashmir and embraced Islam. He changed his name to Omer and attended prayers at Minar Mazjid, located at the Koneru Centre, in Machilipatnam,” an intelligence official said.

“Ever since he completed the Alim course, he maintained distance from his family but had visited Machilipatnam a few times in the last two-and-a-half years. He had good contacts in his native place and his family members are aware of his conversion,” the officer said.

The Counter Intelligence, State Intelligence and the Intelligence Bureau officials are trying to find out whether Omer shared the IS activities with the locals or not. The police are also trying to question some local youth along with his family members.