With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) imposing a ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliated organisations for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the Andhra Pradesh police have raided its offices at different locations and launched a manhunt for its activists who are allegedly involved in unlawful activities.
The activities of the PFI had come to light after the Nizamabad police raided a training camp in Telangana and arrested a few organisers, besides seizing some incriminating material from the accused.
A couple of leaders from Andhra Pradesh were among those who had undergone training. They were absconding since the police unearthed the activities of the PFI and other frontal organisations.
The NIA sleuths, along with the local police, who had conducted raids in Nellore and other places in Andhra Pradesh were shocked to face resistance as some residents, who included a few women, squatted on the road and raised slogans against the police and the government.
“Instructions have been issued to crackdown on the banned PFI in the State. Activists of the banned outfit and its frontal organisations are under scanner,” said Director General of Police K.V. Rajendranath Reddy.
“We have launched a search for the PFI activists. Instructions have been given to keep a tab on their associates,” Mr. Reddy told The Hindu.
Nellore Superintendent of Police Ch. Vijaya Rao said the PFI office in the district had been seized.
“We are trying to trace the whereabouts of Iliyas, who had attended the training camp in Nizamabad,” he said.
“The PFI has allegedly been organised training camps on Sharia law and Islamic fundamentalism for the last five years . It has also been imparting training to youth in marshal arts. We are trying to find out the role of the PFI in the communal clashes in Kurnool district,” said Superintendent of Police Siddharth Kaushal.
Krishna district Superintendent of Police P. Joshua said searches were conducted at Machilipatnam, Pedana, Nuzvid and other places. “Vigil has been mounted on persons suspected to have links with the terror outfits,” he added.
