NIA Raids In Telangana, AP In Crackdown Against PFI

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday conducted searches at multiple locations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and picked up members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) for questioning for allegedly "instigating violence and illegal activities".

Raids were conducted at 38 locations in Telangana (23 in Nizamabad, four in Hyderabad, seven in Jagtial, two in Nirmal, and one each in Adilabad and Karimnagar districts) and at 2 locations in Andhra Pradesh (one each in Kurnool and Nellore districts).

The NIA had reportedly received intel that a group of people were imparting terror training on the pretext of Karate classes in Telangana's Nizamabad.

In a release, the NIA said that the accused were organising camps for imparting training to people to enable them to commit terrorist acts and to promote enmity between different groups on the basis of religion.

The central agency seized incriminating materials, including digital devices, documents, two daggers and cash of Rs. 8,31,500. Four persons have been detained for questioning.

Earlier, the Telangana police had arrested four persons of the PFI named Abdul Kader, Sheikh Sahadulla, Mohammed Imran and Mohammed Abdul Mobin in the same context. A case of treason was registered against them in July by the Nizamabad police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and section 13(1)(b) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.