The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on Tuesday, May 9, is conducting raids on multiple locations in Tamil Nadu, in connection with the now banned organisation Popular Front of India (PFI). Raids are underway at several places in Chennai, including Otteri and Thiruvottiyur, and 10 other districts, that include Coimbatore, Madurai, Theni and Trichy. An official communication by the probe agency is awaited.
Similar raids are underway in the northern-state of Jammu and Kashmir, pertaining to an ongoing investigation in a terror funding case. According to the reports, the raids are being carried out at multiple locations, including Srinagar, Anantnag, Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar. The case is related to the alleged hatching of a conspiracy, both physical and in cyberspace, and plans by proscribed terrorist organisations to execute violent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.
Earlier in April, NIA conducted similar raids on 17 locations associated with the PFI across the country, including in the states of Bihar, UP, Punjab and Goa.
In September last year, a multi-agency team led by NIA, probing the alleged supporting of terror activities in the country, simultaneously raided multiple locations in 15 states. Following this, PFI was banned in the country by the Union government for a period of five years. The Union government had also flagged eight other associate organisations as unlawful along with PFI. The banned organisations are Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Org (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Jr Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.