The National Investigation Agency (NIA), India’s top counter-terrorism agency on Thursday raided the residences of several members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) organization across Kerala.
The raids were conducted on suspicion that PFI members were allegedly planning to 'regroup', media reports say citing officials.
The raids were conducted at eight places in Ernakulam, four places in Alappuzha and Malappuram, three places in Thiruvananthapuram and at other places.
Ban on Popular Front of India
In September this year, the organization was banned under the stringent anti-terror law.
The five-year ban came following two rounds of nationwide raids and arrests of more than 300 people linked to the organization or its affiliated Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
The organization was accused of having links to global terror groups and attempts to sow communal hatred in India.
After the ban was imposed by the federal government, the Kerala state government sealed the offices of the organization and its associates in the state, while their bank accounts were also frozen.
Apart from PFI, the eight associates of the organization – Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala – were also banned under the anti-terror law.