Huge search op underway at PFI leaders' places in terror-related activities
1 min read . Updated: 22 Sep 2022, 08:40 AM IST
PremiumA massive nationwide search operation has been launched by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday morning against groups, including Popular Front of India (PFI), and individuals allegedly supporting terrorists.
A massive nationwide search operation has been launched by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday morning against groups, including Popular Front of India (PFI), and individuals allegedly supporting terrorists, said officials as quoted by news agency PTI.
They said that it is the largest ever investigation to date under which, the searches are taking place at the premises of those allegedly involved in terror funding, organizing training camps, and radicalizing people to join the prescribed organizations.
"The search operations are underway at the places of national, state, and local leaders of PFI. The state committee office is also being raided," the officials told PTI.
In response to these raids, the outfit said that it strongly protest the fascist regime's move to use agencies to silence dissenting voices.
Earlier this month, the NIA raided 40 places in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh in a PFI case and detained four persons. The agency had then conducted searches at 38 locations in Telangana in the case relating to Abdul Khader of Nizamabad district in Telangana and 26 other persons, according to the news agency ANI.
In the operation, the investigative agency had seized incriminating materials, including digital devices, documents, two daggers and ₹8,31,500 cash. The accused were "organizing camps for imparting training to commit terrorist acts and to promote enmity between different groups on the basis of religion", as per ANI reports.
The PFI was launched in Kerala in 2006 after merging three Muslim organizations floated after the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 - the National Development Front of Kerala, Karnataka Forum for Dignity and Manitha Neethi Pasari of Tamil Nadu. After the demolition of the Babri mosque, many fringe outfits had surfaced in south India and PFI was formed after merging some of them.
Now, the outfit claims that it has many unites in 22 states across the country. It describes itself as a neo-social movement committed to empowering people belonging to minority communities, Dalits and other weaker sections of society.
(With inputs from agencies)
