PFI role in recent violence established by police in UP, Assam: Officials

Uttar Pradesh, Assam and a few other states have established the role of Popular Front of India (PFI), an alleged radical group, in the violence that erupted during the recent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, officials said on Friday.

While the UP government has written to the Home Ministry seeking a ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Assam government has sent a detailed report to it on PFI's role in the violence in Guwahati on December 11.

"The UP Police, the Assam Police and police forces of several others states have established PFI's role in the recent violence," a senior Home Ministry official said.

Last month, UP Police arrested at least 14 PFI activists for allegedly instigating violence in the state while Assam Police also picked up PFI state unit president Aminul Hoque and Mohammad Muzammil Hoque, the press secretary of the organisation, for their alleged role in violence in Guwahati.

The National Investigation Agency had also submitted reports on the group to the Home Ministry, claiming it was involved in terrorist activities, including running terror camps and making bombs, and it was a fit case to be banned under the UAPA.

However, Home Ministry officials are tight-lipped on the possible action against PFI, saying the ministry would not like to comment on an individual organisation before taking any action.

"Until criminality of any organisation is proved on the basis of available evidence, we cannot make any comment on any organisation," another ministry official said.

The cases which the NIA had cited for PFI's alleged involvement in terror acts were: chopping of a professor's palm in Kerala's Idukki district and organising a training camp in Kannur from where the central probe agency allegedly seized swords, country-made bombs and ingredients for making IEDs.

It had also mentioned the murder of RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru and the alleged plans to carry out terror attacks in South India by involving another outfit, Islamic State Al-Hindi.

Attempts to speak to P Koya, an office-bearer of the PFI, to get a reaction, did not fructify. He also did not respond to an SMS sent by the PTI.

The PFI reportedly has presence in 23 states and the strongest in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, officials said.