Mukesh Ranjan,Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 16Home Minister Rajnath Singh today met the top brass of intelligence and investigative agencies and also police chiefs of 13 states and discussed with them the threat perception mounted by the ever-growing influence of Islamic State (IS) among Indian youth, particularly through social media.The daylong meeting, attended by Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Special Secretary (Internal Security) Ashok Prasad, discussed the situation arising out of some youths getting attracted towards the IS and the measures to deal with the emerging challenge.“The issues that were discussed included misuse of social media, sources of impetus that attract persons, specially youth, to Daesh (referred to Islamic State), the growth of Daesh influence in India’s neighbourhood and the best possible law enforcement response,” official sources in the MHA said.Noting that there is need for appropriate welfare schemes for minorities and fresh strategies to deal with new emerging social media trend, participants in the meeting felt that state governments should work on “capacity building” especially in the field of information technology.Reiterating India’s traditions and family values will triumph over the evil influence of IS, the Home Minister said while the traction that Daesh has “got in India is extremely limited, and almost insignificant relative to other countries”, there is still a need to “keep up vigil on all fronts” and not let down “the guard in any manner”.Singh said a large number of people and most Muslim organisations in India had come out against both Daesh and other forms of terrorism.The 13 states and Union Territory, which attended the interaction, are Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra.According to intelligence agencies, a total of 23 Indians have so far joined the IS of which six were reportedly killed in different incidents. Around 150 Indians are under surveillance for their alleged online links with ISIS, the MHA officials had said.