Kochi, June 25 (PTI) The banned Popular Front of India (PFI) reportedly had a hit list comprising about 972 individuals, including a former District Judge from Kerala. This information comes from documents recently submitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a court here.
According to these NIA documents, the PFI maintained a 'Reporters Wing' which clandestinely "collected and maintained personal details of individuals from other communities." This included details like position, name, age, and photographs.
The NIA claims that PFI was organized into three wings: the 'Reporters Wing,' 'Physical and Arms Training Wing/PE,' and 'Service Wing/Hit teams'.
The 'Reporters Wing,' described as a quasi-intelligence division of PFI, was tasked with gathering personal and private information on prominent figures, particularly from other communities, with a focus on the Hindu community. This included tracking day-to-day activities, as mentioned in the documents.
These compiled data were communicated up the chain from district to state level within the organization, and were purportedly used to target individuals on a need basis, as stated by the agency in court.
The details emerged in the Special NIA Court's order rejecting the bail applications of some accused in the 2022 murder case of S K Sreenivasan.
Sreenivasan, a senior leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), was reportedly hacked to death on April 16, 2022, in his shop, allegedly by PFI operatives.
The NIA, countering the bail requests, informed the court of documents indicating a list of approximately 972 'other community' individuals targeted by the outlawed organization, which notably included a former District Judge from Kerala.
Additionally, the NIA mentioned that the 'Periyar Valley campus', which they had seized, was allegedly being used as an arms training center by the PFI.
In September 2022, the central government imposed a five-year ban on the PFI and several associated groups under stringent anti-terrorism laws, accusing them of having “links” with international terror organizations like ISIS.
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