New Delhi: Indian security agencies are keeping a close watch in both the extreme corners of the country — Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Lakshadweep to keep a check on the spread of Islamic State (IS) here.

According to the officials, operatives of IS are trying to make some base in southern India and terror infected Kashmir region. The recent intelligence input is worrying as it says that white boats carrying nearly 15 IS terrorists were seen moving towards Lakshadweep. The entire southern coastline has been put on high alert following the input.

To keep a check on infiltration, the Kerala police and coast guard have beefed up the security across the coastline. The fishing vessels and other ships in the region have also been alerted about the situation.

Also read: NIA finds information of Islamic State activities in Kashmir on Keralite's phone

The intelligence input also suggested that those behind the deadly Sri Lanka church attack might attempt to escape from Sri Lanka and try to enter India via sea route. Preventing any attempts by terrorists to escape in India, ships and maritime surveillance aircraft Dornier has been deployed on the maritime border with Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka witnessed a deadly terror attack on April 21 when eight blasts rocked the Island nation killing over 250 people. The IS later claimed responsibility for the attack.

“Such alerts are usual practice but this time we have a piece of specific information about the number. We have alerted the coastal police stations and the police chiefs of coastal districts to be on alert in case of any sighting of suspicious vessels,” a top police source told PTI.

Also read: ISIS reaches India's doorstep, uses local branch to kill over 300 in Sri Lanka

According to a senior official in intelligence agencies, there are many sympathisers of IS in southern India. Earlier, several incidents were reported where people from Kerala and other southern state joined the terror outfit or tried to flee from India to join the war.

Those tracking IS cyber activities told MyNation that a large number of literature, videos related to IS are being consumed in South India, with Kerala being the leading state. The volume of uploads of content, post related to the terror outfit is also highest there. Intelligence agencies believe that a considerable number of Keralites are still with the ISIS, which was recently wiped out from Iraq and Syria.

Similarly, the forces up in Jammu and Kashmir are trying to keep a check on IS activities in the valley. Earlier in May, the IS had claimed for the first time that it has established a province in India after a clash between militants and security forces in the Valley following the killing of a militant with alleged ties to the group.

IS’s Amaq News Agency announced the new province, calling “Wilayah of Hind”. In a statement, the terror group claimed IS inflicted casualties on Indian army soldiers in the town of Amshipora in the Shopian district of Kashmir.

On May 10, security forces killed a terrorist - Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi who was the brain behind multiple attacks in Srinagar, in Shopian of south Kashmir. The militant was also considered close to Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) chief Zakir Musa. Acting against Islamic State, forces also gunned down Musa who wanted to create an Islamic Caliphate in Kashmir.