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NIA conducts raids on suspected PFI activists in AP, Telangana; 4 detained
About two dozen teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at 38 locations in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in connection with the alleged terror links of PFI activists
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday carried out multiple raids in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in connection with the alleged terror links of the local members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and detained four persons, the agency said.
About two dozen teams of NIA conducted searches at 38 locations – 23 in Nizamabad, four in Hyderabad, seven in Jagitial, two in Nirmal and one each in Adilabad and Karimnagar districts, besides two locations in Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool and Nellore districts.
The raids followed the arrest of four PFI activists – Abdul Kader, Sheikh Sahadulla, Md Imran and Md Abdul Mobin, by the Telangana police on July 6, following a case registered on July 4 for their suspected terror links. The case was later handed over to the NIA, which registered a fresh case on August 26.
“On Sunday, the NIA conducted searches on the suspected PFI members in the case, including Abdul Khader and 26 other persons,” an NIA statement said.
NIA charged the accused with conspiring to wage a war against the central government apart from recruiting members for the PFI and organising camps for imparting training to commit terrorists acts.
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They also formed an unlawful assembly and promoted enmity between different groups on the basis of religion. They were also involved in activities disrupting sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, NIA said.
During the searches, the NIA sleuths seized incriminating materials, including digital devices, documents, two daggers and cash of ₹8.31 lakh. “Four persons have been detained for questioning,” NIA said, adding further investigations in the case is in progress.
On July 6, the Nizamabad police arrested four PFI activists on the charges of allegedly training Muslim young men in anti-national activities.
Nizamabad commissioner of police K R Nagaraju said the accused were booked under Section 120-A (criminal conspiracy by two or more persons), 120-B (criminal conspiracy for serious offence), 153-A (promoting enmity between two different groups) and 141 (unlawful assembly), besides Section 13(1)(b) of Unlawful Activities (Preventions) Act - 1967.
The police said Abdul Qader, a karate instructor, was engaged by the other three accused for providing training to gullible Muslim youth from the two Telugu states in various marshal arts and usage of lethal weapons.
In the last three years, Qader gave training to more than 200 Muslim youth in karate, kung fu and usage of lethal weapons on the upper portion of his residence, the police commissioner said.
Interrogation of the arrested accused revealed that the PFI was trying to brainwash the local Muslim youth in Sharia law and Islamic fundamentalism and recruit them for anti-national activities.
The arrested also confessed that similar workshops regarding legal matters were being conducted along with physical training by PFI members in Nizamabad, Jagitial, Hyderabad, Nellore, Kurnool and Kadapa.
