NIA undertakes another mega raid on PFI, takes scores of operatives into custody

New Delhi, Sep 27: The mega raids on the Popular Front of India (PFI) continued today. This is the second time that a raid of such a huge scale is being carried out against the PFI in two weeks.

The NIA continued with its raids on the outfit in eight different states and several members of the PFI have also been detained. Last week the NIA arrested 106 operatives of the group including its chairman O M A Salam.

Sources tell OneIndia that today's raids are being carried out based on the information that was received following the arrests of the operatives during the first round.

At least 21 PFI members from 8 districts in Assam have been detained. They are Goalpara, Kamrup, Barpeta, Dhubri, Bagsa ,Darrang, Udalguri and Karimganj. ADGP (Special Branch) Hiren Nath said that four persons with links to the PFI had been arrested from the Nagarbera area this morning.

In Karnataka over 75 PFI members have been detained and will be produced before a local tehsildar and their judicial custody would be sought. These members had either created trouble locally, protested or stopped the NIA personnel.

ADGP Law and Order, Bengaluru Alok Kumar said those taken into custody include SDPI district president Yadgiri.

Early this morning the Karnataka police arrested the District PFI president Abdul Kareem and SDPI secretary Sheik Maqsood. The police in Mangaluru too have taken into custody few members.

Six PFI members have been taken into preventive custody in Kolar district while in Vijaypuyra the PFI district president Ashfaq Jamkhand has been detained. In Chitradurga, PFI leader Afhan Khan has been detained while in Bellary the number is four.

PFI district president Kapil and secretary Suhail have been taken into custody from Chamrajanagara. In all around 60 persons have been detained in Karnataka.

Meanwhile in Pune the state police detained 6 supporters of the group and this was done in coordination with the NIA and ATS. Raids also took place in Siana and Sarupur in Uttar Pradesh. Several suspects have been taken into custody.

Raids are also underway in Delhi's Shaheen Bagh and Jamia since last night. 12 persons have been detained during the raids of which the Special Cell of the Delhi Police and local cops were also involved.

Raids were also conducted in Maharashtra's Thane following which four were arrested by the local police. Raids were also conducted at Nashik and Malegaon following which two persons were arrested.

Meanwhile in Madhya Pradesh 21 persons associated with the PFI have been arrested from across 8 districts.

On September 22 the NIA and the ED carried out raids and searches at 93 locations across 15 states.

106 PFI members were arrested following the raids at the houses, offices and other locations connected with the PFI.