PFI Protest: Kerala police beefs up security, warns of stern action against law breakers

New Delhi: After the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) called for a state-wide protest on Friday, Kerala police increased security and directed district police chiefs to maintain law and order. The PFI called the dawn-to-dusk protest against the raids on its leaders' offices and residences, as well as their subsequent arrests on Thursday by the NIA and other agencies for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. According to a police statement, those who break the law will face harsh punishment. "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 stated that it will continue to operate as usual. Special services to hospitals, airports, and railway stations will be arranged, and police protection will be sought if necessary, according to the transportation corporation.

The PFI announced on Thursday that the state will go on strike on September 23 "against the RSS-controlled fascist government's attempt to silence dissenting voices using the central agencies." The hartal would last from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to A Abdul Sathar, state general secretary of the PFI. The employees of this organisation marched to the locations of the raids on Thursday, raising slogans against the Centre and its investigating agencies. However, as part of bolstering security, central forces were already deployed in all such locations.

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On Thursday, multi-agency teams led by the NIA arrested 106 PFI officials in near-simultaneous raids at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. 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 in Kerala, where PFI has some strong pockets.