NIA, ED Conduct Searches At PFI Leaders' Residences Across 10 States, Arrest Over 100 Workers

PFI workers have staged protests since midnight after the raids began in several cities across the country

National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the largest ever anti-terror operation are conducting searches at the residences of the Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders across 10 states Thursday. They have arrested over 100 PFI cadres allegedly involved in terrorist activities.

In a tweet, news agency ANI said, "NIA conducting searches in multiple locations in the largest ever probe process till date. These searches are being conducted in residential& official premises of persons involved in funding terrorism, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations."

The raids were carried out at the residences of PFI state and district level leaders including the house of OMA Salam, PFI chairman in Manjeri, Malappuram district and at the PFI office. Meanwhile, PFI workers have staged protests since midnight, after the raids began. PFI and SDPI came together to protest against the raids in several cities.

The raids were carried out in the cities of several states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Meawhile, Telangana BJP state President Bandi Sanjay on Wednesday alleged that PFI was carrying out activities with support of AIMIM. He also claimed that BJP would drive AIMIM out of the state if party voted to power in the next Assembly elections.  

Earlier, the NIA raided multiple locations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on September 18 (Sunday) in connection with the Popular Front of India case. The searches were conducted in the Nizamabad district of Telangana and in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool, Guntur, Kadapa, and Nellore districts.