GUWAHATI, Sept 27: Twenty-five Popular Front of India (PFI) activists were arrested from different districts of Assam in a fresh crackdown against the outfit on Tuesday, police said.
The highest number of 10 PFI activists were held in Goalpara, five in Kamrup (Rural) and three in Dhubri, followed by arrests in Barpeta, Baksa, Darrang, Udalguri and Karimganj, they said.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that his government has been urging the Centre to ban the outfit for allegedly creating an eco-system for terror activities.
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“We started the operations early in the morning and it is still continuing with 25 activists arrested so far,” additional director general of police (Special Branch) Hiren Nath told PTI.
They will be produced in the local courts of the respective districts, he said.
In Goalpara district, the arrests were made in Lakhipur, Dhupdhara, Rongjuli and Goalpara town, police said.
Senior police officials are also camping in the district.
The five PFI activists in Kamrup Rural were held from Nagarberra, Tupamari, Palahartari and Borpathar areas, police said.
Altogether 36 activists of the organisation have been arrested this far by Assam Police from different parts of the state and New Delhi.
Earlier 11 members, including the outfit’s president of the West Bengal unit, Minarul Sheikh, were apprehended following a national clampdown against the organisation on September 22 and September 23.
According to a statement issued by the Assam Police in Guwahati following last week’s arrests, leaders of the organisation were arrested as there was “reliable information” that they were making efforts to foment communal strife throughout the state.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has claimed that documents seized during the nation-wide raids conducted at offices of PFI and its members contain highly incriminating materials targeting prominent leaders of a particular community.
On September 22, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the 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. (PTI)
