The Anti-Terrorism Squad in Pune on Thursday put a 16-year-old college student under surveillance for possible links with the Islamic State after they found she was in touch with Indian Oil Employee Mohammed Sirazudin, who was arrested last week for supporting the militant group.

Sirazudin was attempting to recruit supporters through WhatsApp and Facebook and was in touch with many young people from around the country. The Class 11 student, who comes from a well-to-do Muslim family in Pune, was “radicalised online” and in touch with many ISIS sympathizers including Sirazudin, the police said. The police believe that through him, she was planning a trip to Iraq or Syria as ISIS members supposedly told her they would cover her medical, educational and other expenses.

According to the police, she started researching ISIS and its ideology four months ago after watching a TV programme about them. She looked them up online and got in touch with several other sympathisers from around the world. Assistant commissioner of police Bhanupratap Barge said they are keeping an eye on her and have asked her parents and leaders from the community to counsel her.