Residents of Sathya street in Kottivakkam, a predominantly middle-class locality, got quite a shock on Sunday when they came to know that Swalih Mohammed T, an ISIS sympathiser who was arrested by NIA sleuths in Kerala for a terror plot, had been living in their midst since June. The neighbourhood's calm was shattered when five vehicles swooped down on house no 14177 and 20 NIA officials marched in. When the bell rang, his 21-year-old wife and the three-year-old son who were playing with building blocks ran to open the door expecting to see Swahil who was supposed to return from Thrissur on that day.
His wife Jensina had no clue when the officials began shooting questions about Swalih. She yet comes to terms with the fact that her husband has been arrested for a terror plot. Swalih left for Kerala on Friday saying he was going to meet a friend. Some local residents remember him as a fair man with a beard who walked home late in the night. Dhanasekaran, the landlord, was taken aback when police showed him a picture of a clean shaven Swalih. He said Swalih used to leave home at 8.30 am in the morning, carrying a laptop, and return by 11 pm. Though he had studied only up to plus two, he seemed to be very good with computer programmes.
"He was desperate for a house and showed me an identity card claiming he was employed with Club Mahindra at the Express Avenue mall," Dhanasekaran, told. He let the house on rent and took an advance of 30,000 from Swalih.
Swalih made at least 10 visits to Kerala in the past four months, but Jensina sensed nothing amiss. She just cannot get over the `terrorist' tag that the police gave her husband.
"I have no idea about his links. I just knew my husband as a jovial person, who gave me a comfortable life," said a tearful Jensina.
His wife Jensina had no clue when the officials began shooting questions about Swalih. She yet comes to terms with the fact that her husband has been arrested for a terror plot. Swalih left for Kerala on Friday saying he was going to meet a friend. Some local residents remember him as a fair man with a beard who walked home late in the night. Dhanasekaran, the landlord, was taken aback when police showed him a picture of a clean shaven Swalih. He said Swalih used to leave home at 8.30 am in the morning, carrying a laptop, and return by 11 pm. Though he had studied only up to plus two, he seemed to be very good with computer programmes.
"He was desperate for a house and showed me an identity card claiming he was employed with Club Mahindra at the Express Avenue mall," Dhanasekaran, told. He let the house on rent and took an advance of 30,000 from Swalih.
Swalih made at least 10 visits to Kerala in the past four months, but Jensina sensed nothing amiss. She just cannot get over the `terrorist' tag that the police gave her husband.
"I have no idea about his links. I just knew my husband as a jovial person, who gave me a comfortable life," said a tearful Jensina.