Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Police stated that through 'Operation Pigeon', they could bring back about 500 people who were attracted to the terror groups. The project started in 2016 is implemented in two phases.

Those who are drawn to terror sects are convinced of the reality through counselling and other means and by conducting awareness classes in localities and religious centres.

The people taking the path of terrorist concepts are traced with the help of Cyberdome and Cyber Cell and are provided counselling and other helps. Within 5 years, about 500 such persons were convinced and were brought back.

More number of people could be brought from Kasaragod, Kannur, Malappuram, Palakkad and Kozhikode districts. Similar persons could be traced from all districts except Pathanamthitta, the police said.

Apart from individual counselling, awareness sessions were managed with the help of mosques and religious centres too. Imam and other religious people also cooperated with the awareness sessions held with the help of Jamaat committees. Though the activities were focused on Kasaragod district first, later it was expanded all over the state, the police said.