UP police arrest 25 PFI terrorists in connection with anti-CAA riots, seek to ban the Jihadi outfit

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday said at least 25 workers of the Popular Front of India (PFI) have been arrested across the state for masterminding the anti-CAA riots in the state.

In the wake of the PFI involvement in the state-wide riots, the UP police sought a ban on the Jihadi group. UP Director General of Police OP Singh earlier said they had written to the Union Home Ministry seeking a ban on PFI after its Uttar Pradesh head, Wasim, and 16 other activists were arrested in connection with the anti-CAA riots.

The Uttar Pradesh government has reportedly requested the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI).

“We have got significant information from the arrested PFI members, but cannot disclose it at this point in time,” the Uttar Pradesh DGP told a news agency.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya, on Tuesday, told reporters that the state government was strongly in favour of banning the PFI.

The UP police had emphasised on a Kerala plot in Babupurwa and Yateemkhana violence. PFI has emerged as a powerful Islamist organisation in Kerala. For the past few years, Kerala has become a fertile ground for Islamic terrorism. PFI is a ”recycled” organisation of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), a terrorist organisation which was banned in 2001.

“A number of SIMI activists are now in the PFI and have been instigating violence in the state. Nearly 22 of their members have been arrested during recent protests. The PFI is active in seven states including Uttar Pradesh,” said Maurya.