Kerala’s Director General of Police (DGP), Rawada A Chandrasekhar, has said that activists of the banned Islamic terrorist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) have now migrated to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). In an interview given to a Malayalam news channel, the DGP stated that although the PFI was banned by the central government in 2022, its activists regrouped under a new banner and joined SDPI.
“Following the ban on PFI, strict measures were taken in various states, including Kerala. Those who were sympathetic to PFI have shifted to parties like SDPI. They are being monitored, and appropriate action will be taken,” the DGP said.
He further warned about the growing threat of narcotic terrorism in the country. According to Chandrasekhar, large quantities of foreign drugs are being smuggled into India, especially synthetic drugs coming from Pakistan and Afghanistan. He added that the Kerala Police, with the support of central agencies, will formulate a comprehensive strategy to curb drug trafficking into the state.
The PFI was officially banned in 2022, along with eight of its affiliated organizations, for a period of five years. According to the Union Home Ministry, PFI and its affiliates had established links with international Islamic terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Ministry also stated that PFI was responsible for spreading extremism within the Muslim community in India. The ban was enforced after repeated instances of violent and terrorist activities involving PFI cadres were reported. The decision was later upheld by the judiciary.
However, SDPI, the political wing of PFI, was not banned at that time. The recent comments by Kerala’s top police officer have reignited discussions around the SDPI’s role and its growing prominence following the PFI ban.
