New Delhi: Nationwide raids are once again being conducted by the National Investigation Agency and local law enforcement against office bearers of the Popular Front of India. The raids and detentions began in the evening of September 26.In addition to Delhi, locations in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh are being raided, according to reports.In near-simultaneous raids across the country, a multi-agency operation, spearheaded by the NIA, on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the PFI in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.As of September 27, more than 170 people allegedly linked with the PFI were detained or arrested in raids across these states, PTI reported.The PFI has maintained that such raids amounted to scare tactics and suppression of dissent.KarnatakaAcross Karnataka, 25 leaders belonging to the PFI and the Social Democratic Party of India have been detained, Indian Express has reported.Eight to nine PFI and SDPI members were picked up from Mangaluru, seven were taken into custody from Bagalkot, six from Kolar, two from Bidar and one from Vijayapura, Express said in its report.In Karnataka’s Udupi district, police conducted raids at the houses of PFI leaders and took into custody four people in connection with various cases. The raids were conducted at Hoode, Gangolli and Byndoor in the district. All the detained leaders are from Byndoor, PTI has reported said.Cops are understood to have called the detentions “preventive custody.”MaharashtraThe news agency ANI has reported that raids in Maharashtra are being conducted by the state Anti-Terror Squad.Nashik police has arrested two people with connections to the PFI.Thirteen people have been detained from Aurangabad and two from Malegaon. Police have claimed that they are all “active members of PFI.” PFI is not a banned organisation.New DelhiANI has also reported that joint raids by a Central agency and Delhi Police are underway at places allegedly “related to PFI” in various parts of New Delhi, including the Nizamuddin and Shaheen Bagh area. The count of those detained in Delhi was 30, PTI reported.AssamTwenty-five PFI activists were arrested from different districts of Assam in a fresh crackdown against the outfit on Tuesday.The highest number of 10 PFI activists were held in Goalpara, five in Kamrup (Rural) and three in Dhubri, followed by arrests in Barpeta, Baksa, Darrang, Udalguri and Karimganj, they said.Earlier, 11 people were arrested by the Assam Police from various parts of the state and Delhi, after a nation-wide clampdown against the organisation since September 22.KeralaKerala police on Monday said they were continuing raids on various places, including shops and other establishments, connected to the PFI in Kannur district.The police said a total of 309 cases were registered till now and 1,404 people arrested in connection with the violence that took place during the PFI strike on September 23. Over 830 people were under preventive detention.Malappuram district recorded the most number of cases – 34 followed by Kottayam with 28 cases and Kollam city with 27. Thiruvananthapuram city recorded 25 cases while rural, too, registered 25 cases.Most number of arrests were from Kottayam (219), followed by Kollam city with 169. A total of 158 people were arrested in connection with the violence from Malappuram district while 141 were apprehended from Thiruvananthapuram rural.Uttar PradeshIn Uttar Pradesh, the raids across 26 districts were jointly carried out by the anti-terrorist squad, special task force and the local police simultaneously.At least 57 people were detained in Uttar Pradesh, as per the PTI report.(With PTI inputs)This story, which was published on September 27, 2022, at 11:04 am, has been republished on the same date at 6:35 pm, and again republished at 7:28 pm with an update on the number of arrests.
