Security beefed up in Kerala as PFI calls hartal to protest arrest of leaders

Security has been beefed up across Kerala ahead of the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by Popular Front of India on Friday (September 23) in protest against multiple raids and arrests of its cadres by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday.

The department has issued directions to the district police chiefs to ensure law and order during the protest by the radical Islamic outfit.

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The NIA during concerted raids along with ED and police departments of 11 states arrested around 106 PFI leaders for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. This included 19 PFI leaders from Kerala including party’s national secretary Nasarudheen Elamaram, Kerala unit president CP Mohammed Basheer and national council member Kaleem Koya, a professor.

A statement issued by the police said stern action will be taken against those who violate the law.

“All the policemen in the state will be deployed for the maintenance of law and order,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the state-run KSRTC has informed that it will operate as usual. The transport corporation said special services to hospitals, airports and railway stations will be arranged if necessary and will also seek police protection, if needed.

PFI on Thursday had said a hartal will be observed in the state on September 23 “against the RSS-controlled fascist governments attempt to silence dissenting voices using the central agencies.”

The hartal would be held from 6 AM to 6 PM, A Abdul Sathar, state general secretary, PFI, had said in the statement.

On Thursday, PFI workers had taken out marches to the places where raids were carried out and raised slogans against the Centre and its investigating agencies. However, central forces were already deployed in all such places as part of strengthening the security.

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Multi-agency teams spearheaded by the NIA had arrested 106 functionaries of the PFI on Thursday in near simultaneous raids at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.

Kerala, where PFI has some strong pockets accounted for the maximum number of 22 arrests, officials said. PFI state president C P Mohammed Basheer, national chairman O M A Salam, national secretary Nasaruddin Elamaram, former chairman E Abubacker and others were among those arrested.

(With inputs from agencies)