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BIG STORY SEPTEMBER 23, 2022 | The Indian Eye 4

POPULAR FRONT OF INDIA

HIDDEN TERROR

In a massive operation, more than 100 PFI leaders were arrested by various

agencies on Thursday. What is threat posed by the controversial organization to

India’s national security and social fabric?

OUR BUREAU

New Delhi/Guwahati/Kochi
n a big operation across the coun-
try, more than 100 activists of the
IPopular Front of India (PFI) were
arrested on Thursday. They were ar-
rested in raids by multi-agency teams
led by the National Investigation
Agency (NIA) for alleged support to
terror activities in the country.
National Investigation Agen-
cy, Enforcement Directorate and
the state police forces jointly car-
ried out coordinated searches at
the houses and offices of the PFI
leaders and members across India
on Thursday. It was the largest-ev-
er investigation process till date
against the PFI and 106 function-
aries of the front were arrested.
Searches were conducted at 93 lo-
cations in 15 states of India on Thurs-
day. The states where the raids were
conducted included Andhra Pradesh National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials produce Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders before the District Court, Bhopal, after arresting them
(4 places), Telangana (1), Delhi (19),
Kerala (11), Karnataka (8), Tamil from Indore and Ujjain during raids on September 22nd, on Friday. (ANI Photo)
Nadu (3), Uttar Pradesh (1), Ra-
jasthan (2), Hyderabad (5), Assam, cold-blooded killings of persons asso- this month also raided 40 places in In its response, Popular Front
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, ciated with organizations espousing Telangana, Andhra Pradesh in a PFI of India’s national executive coun-
West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur. other faiths, collection of explosives to case and detained four persons. cil condemned the raids by the NIA
The searches were conducted in target prominent people and places, The agency then conducted and ED “and the unjust arrests and
connection with five cases registered support to Islamic State and destruc- searches at 38 locations in Telanga- the harassments of its national and
by the NIA following “continued tion of public property. They have na (23 in Nizamabad, four in Hy- state leaders across India and the
inputs and evidence” that the PFI had a demonstrative effect of strik- derabad, seven in Jagityal, two in witch-hunting against the members,
leaders and cadres were involved in ing terror in the minds of the citizens. Nirmal, one each in Adilabad and and supporters of the organization.”
the funding of terrorism and terrorist During the searches conducted Karimnagar districts) and at two lo- “NIA’s baseless claims and sen-
activities, organizing training camps this morning, incriminating docu- cations in Andhra Pradesh (one each sationalism are solely aimed at creat-
for providing armed training and ments, cash, sharp-edged weapons in Kurnool and Nellore districts) in ing an atmosphere of terror,” it said
radicalizing people to join banned and a large number of digital devices the case relating to Abdul Khader of and added that the front will “never
organizations. have been seized. The NIA has made Nizamabad district in Telangana and ever surrender” on the action taken
A large number of criminal cases 45 arrests in these cases. 26 other persons. by a “totalitarian regime”.
have been registered in different states The PFI and SDPI workers As per NIA, the accused were Several incriminating docu-
over the last few years against the PFI staged a protest in Karnataka’s Man- “organizing camps for imparting ments, more than 100 mobile phones,
and its leaders and members for their galuru against the raids, following training to commit terrorist acts and laptops and other materials have
involvement in many violent acts. which they were detained by the state to promote enmity between different been seized by the raiding teams.
Criminal violent acts “carried police. PFI workers sat on the road groups on the basis of religion”. The National Investigation
out” by PFI include chopping off in protest against the NIA raid at the The PFI was launched in Kerala Agency on Thursday sealed the Tel-
the hand of a college professor, party office in Chennai. NIA earlier in 2006. Continued at next page... >>

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