Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge has announced plans to strengthen employee background verification following the detention of two youths over suspected links with terrorist elements through social media.
The two individuals were taken into custody during a joint operation by Central and state authorities. According to Kharge, the investigation has confirmed that one of them had links with terrorists, while further inquiry is underway into the other.
Both youths are from outside Karnataka. The minister said five to six similar cases had been reported over the past two to three months, with references to individuals from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
Kharge said the government was treating suspected extremist links seriously and would coordinate further action with the Centre.
While acknowledging that people cannot be prevented from moving to Karnataka in search of employment, he urged employers to conduct thorough background checks before hiring workers. He specifically highlighted factories, textile mills, coffee shops, domestic help and delivery services.
Meeting with e-commerce firms planned
The state government will hold a meeting after the festive holidays with e-commerce companies, including Swiggy and Zomato, along with delivery and logistics firms and homestay operators.
The discussions will focus on framing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for employee background verification. The government will also explore ways to expedite the process through local police stations.
Kharge said the proposed measures were intended to strengthen verification procedures and address security concerns. Further action will be taken in coordination with the Central government, he added.
