Summary:
New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) More than 90 people allegedly linked with the Popular Front of India (PFI) were detained or arrested in raids across six states on Tuesday, the crackdown coming five days after similar pan India searches against the group often accused of being linked to radical Islam.
Conducted mostly by state police teams, the raids were spread across Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi, Maharashtra, Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
On September 22, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested 106 leaders and activists of the PFI in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.
The NIA is investigating 19 cases involving the PFI.
As police teams fanned out across their respective states on Tuesday, seemingly synchronised, the action was swift.
While 25 people were arrested in Assam, four were arrested in Maharashtra and 30 detained in Delhi, officials said.
The count of those detained in Madhya Pradesh was 21, followed by 10 in Gujarat.
Besides, several people were also arrested in Karnataka.
According to officials in Assam, of the 25 PFI activists arrested in the fresh crackdown, 10 were held in Goalpara.
Besides, five were nabbed in Kamrup (Rural) and three in Dhubri, followed by arrests in Barpeta, Baksa, Darrang, Udalguri and Karimganj. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said his government has been urging the Centre to ban the outfit for allegedly creating an eco-system for terror activities.