News Analysis India

Tag: violence

  • LS polls: Farmers of Lakhimpur Kheri await justice

    Amid the rising political heat, people in Tikunia area of Lakhimpur Kheri still remember the unforgettable incident that shook the country three years ago.

    Eight people including a journalist and four farmers were killed when violence broke out after an SUV ran over a group of protesting farmers in October of 2021.

    “I pass by this place everyday. We have tried a lot to forget what happened here but every time we approach this place, the images of that day flash before our eyes,” said Manjeet Singh, a resident of Tikunia pointing towards the ground where the farmers held the protest against the three controversial farm laws, which have been scrapped now. This ground lies on one side of the narrow road leading towards Tikunia, a small town located on the northern most corner of Lakhimpur Kheri district, over 215 km away from state capital Lucknow. AllUttar PradeshMaharashtraTamil NaduWest BengalBiharKarnatakaAndhra PradeshTelanganaKeralaMadhya PradeshRajasthanDelhiOther States”The ground is a constant reminder of how nothing happens to a person with political influence,” said Satwant Singh, another Tikunia resident who participated in the protest and was a witness to the incidents. Ashish Mishra ‘Monu’, the son of Union minister Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’, was made an accused in the case. Ashish Mishra was arrested after the incidents but is currently out on bail. “Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ was awarded by the BJP for the incident. The party did nothing to him and has now given him a ticket for the Lok Sabha polls,” said Rajdeep Singh, another resident who was injured in the incident. The BJP has renominated Ajay Mishra from the Lakhimpur Kheri seat. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded Utkarsh Verma and the BSP Anshay Kalra. Voting will be held on May 13.

    The 2021 incident occurred in Tikunia but almost all the victims were from different places in the district.

    Mandeep Singh, the son of an elderly farmer Nacchatar Singh who was killed after being run over by the SUV, said, “We were shown how important we are in the incident. Nobody from the government has till date asked about us. We want this to change, we want to see the accused behind bars.”

    Singh declined to comment on the ongoing elections but said he wants to see a change. “Like every other farmer and local we want to see a change.”

    Surendra Singh, a relative of another victim Lovepreet Singh and also a member of farmers union, said, “This was an attack on farmers who produce grains to feed the entire country. We will continue to fight for justice.”

    The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) unit in Lakhimpur Kheri had objected to the candidature of Ajay Mishra.

    “This is nothing but disrespect to those killed in Tikunia and all farmers. The farmers will respond to this by their votes,” said Surinder Singh Virk, an office bearer of the farmers union.

    Though farmers, especially from the Sikh community in Tikunia and nearby areas, express anger over the incident, the same emotion is not reflected by people of other communities, particularly outside Tikunia.

    “What happened in Tikunia was wrong, nobody will support such an act but we need to come together and move ahead for development of Lakhimpur,” said Prabhat Singh, a former village head in Palia area of the district.

    SP president Akhilesh Yadav has talked about the episode in his public meeting held here but his party candidate Utkarsh Verma has made only passing reference in his public meetings.

    BSP’s Kalra, who himself comes from the Sikh community, has raised the issue in his public meetings in Palia and Nighasan area.

  • BJP forms 6-member panel to inquire Sandeshkhali sexual harassment incidents

    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has formed a six-member committee of Union Ministers and MPs to visit Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North Pargana district and collect information about the alleged incidents of sexual harassment and violence against women there.

    Union Minister Annapurna Devi has been named as the convenor of the high-level committee.

    Other members of the panel are Pratima Bhowmik, BJP MPs Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav, and Brijlal.They have been directed to visit the incident site, take stock of the situation, talk to the victims, and submit their report to BJP Party President JP Nadda.

    Nadda, in the notification, said that the alleged incidents are “heart-wrenching.”

    He further said that the incidents of harassment of women and hooliganism are “happening continuously in West Bengal” while the administration there remains a “mute spectator.””Law and order have collapsed in the entire state,” he added.Tension simmered in the Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas district’s Basirhat subdivision on Tuesday during a protest by BJP workers led by state party president Sukanta Majumder against the alleged sexual harassment of women.

    Women in Sandeshkhali have been agitating for the last few days over alleged atrocities committed against them by TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his aides.

    Majumdar sustained injuries during the police lathicharge as a scuffle broke out between the police and party workers.

    The West Bengal government has reimposed Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in and around 500 metres of area in seven-gram panchayats, including Sandeshkhali.

    Sector 144 has been imposed in the area till February 19 to maintain law and order in view of the agitation by the BJP over allegations of sexual harassment by women in Sandeshkhali block.

    The political storm over the events at Bengal’s Sandeshkhali sparked violence in another part of the state on Tuesday.

    BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia slammed the West Bengal government on Wednesday over allegations of sexual harassment by women in Sandeshkhali block, and said that CM Mamata Banerjee is acting as a silent spectator.

    Addressing a press conference, Bhatia said that in West Bengal the law of the “anarchy ruler Mamata Banerjee prevails.”

    “West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is acting as a silent spectator. This is a matter of concern. This press conference highlights the lawlessness that prevails in West Bengal, where it is clear to every citizen that the rule of law does not prevail or exist, rather the law of the anarchy ruler Mamata Banerjee prevails,” he said,

    “When the perpetrator of the crime happens to be a TMC goon, the chief minister of the state doesn’t even care to uphold the dignity of the women of the state, especially Hindu women, being targeted by the goons of Sheikh Shahjahan, the absconder,” he added.

    Coming down heavily on the Chief Minister, the BJP leader alleged that West Bengal has turned into a state run by a government of rapists.

    “It will not be wrong to say that West Bengal has turned into a state where there is a government run by the rapist, of the rapist, for the rapist. Instead of standing in support of the victims, Mamata Banerjee is supporting the rapist,” Bhatia said.

    Bharatiya Janata Party IT cell head Amit Malviya took to X and slammed the West Bengal Police, accusing it of ‘pleasing’ Mamata Banerjee.

    “West Bengal police have crossed all limits. They have violated every rule in the book to please Mamata Banerjee, who is evil, and hasn’t stopped using rape and torture of Hindu women in Sandeskhali, for her politics,” he said.

    He further said that the party will not allow “women in West Bengal to become objects of lust for Mamata Banerjee’s criminal syndicate.”

    “Let Mamata Banerjee and the WB Police know that they can’t crush the BJP’s movement for justice for women in Sandeshkhali. We won’t allow women in West Bengal to become objects of lust for Mamata Banerjee’s criminal syndicate. The fight will continue,” he added.

    The Trinamool Congress has, however, blamed the BJP for trying to vitiate the atmosphere in Sandeshkhali.

    “The only motive of the BJP was to create issues and indulge in hooliganism while going to Sandeshkhali or reaching near the place. Stone pelting ensued, and people were injured there. They (BJP) say that women must be respected…Smriti Irmade instigating statements. The TMC condemns the conduct of the BJP, under the leadership of Sukanta Majumdar,” TMC Spokesperson Sashi Panja said.

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  • Rahul Gandhi to be arrested after Lok Sabha elections: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, against whom an FIR has been registered here on the charge of instigating violence will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. The Assam police suo motu registered the FIR against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders for “wanton acts of violence” here during the party’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ on Tuesday.

    ”We have filed an FIR. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct the investigation and he (Gandhi) will be arrested after the Lok Sabha elections”, Sarma said on the sidelines of a programme at Nazira in Sibsagar district.

    The Lok Sabha elections are due within a few months in the country. Director General of Police G P Singh said that the case has been transferred to the Assam CID for a thorough investigation through an SIT to be constituted by the Additional Director General of Police (CID).

    Sarma had instructed the DGP to register a case against Gandhi for provoking the crowd to break barricades in an attempt to enter Guwahati city during the Yatra on Tuesday leading to a scuffle with the police in which some senior Congress leaders, including the state party President Bhupen Bora and leader of opposition in the state assembly, and four police personnel were injured.

    The FIR was filed against Congress leaders under IPC sections that deal with criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, rioting, assault or criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duty, damaging public property and others.

  • Manipur violence: Tribal-dominated districts in Gujarat observe bandh; AAP, Cong support shutdown

    By PTI

    AHMEDABAD: A shutdown was observed in tribal-dominated regions of Gujarat on Sunday to protest against the failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Manipur to control the ethnic strife there.

    Several market places in Tapi, Valsad, Dahod, Panchmahal, Narmada and Chhota Udepur among 14 districts with sizable tribal population were deserted as shops remained closed and groups of people observed sit-in dharna as part of the ‘bandh’.

    The shutdown call was given by various tribal organisations and was supported by the opposition Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP).

    Speaking to the media, AAP’s working president and MLA Chaitar Vasava said the violence in Manipur had shaken the entire nation.

    ALSO READ | Manipur: Furious women seek reprisals over ‘heinous’ abuse video

    “A total of 52 talukas in 14 Gujarat districts responded to the bandh call and remained closed.

    Many people, including those representing farmers, social, religious and business organisations, supported the bandh.

    We hope the government will stop the violence in Manipur,” Vasava said.

    More than 160 people have lost their lives since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    The May 4 incident, in which two tribal women were paraded naked in Kangpokpi district there, videos of which went viral, has sparked national outrage.

    READ MORE | Oppn MP’s to hold protest in Parliament complex on Monday to press for PM’s statement on Manipur

    AHMEDABAD: A shutdown was observed in tribal-dominated regions of Gujarat on Sunday to protest against the failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Manipur to control the ethnic strife there.

    Several market places in Tapi, Valsad, Dahod, Panchmahal, Narmada and Chhota Udepur among 14 districts with sizable tribal population were deserted as shops remained closed and groups of people observed sit-in dharna as part of the ‘bandh’.

    The shutdown call was given by various tribal organisations and was supported by the opposition Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP).googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Speaking to the media, AAP’s working president and MLA Chaitar Vasava said the violence in Manipur had shaken the entire nation.

    ALSO READ | Manipur: Furious women seek reprisals over ‘heinous’ abuse video

    “A total of 52 talukas in 14 Gujarat districts responded to the bandh call and remained closed.

    Many people, including those representing farmers, social, religious and business organisations, supported the bandh.

    We hope the government will stop the violence in Manipur,” Vasava said.

    More than 160 people have lost their lives since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

    The May 4 incident, in which two tribal women were paraded naked in Kangpokpi district there, videos of which went viral, has sparked national outrage.

    READ MORE | Oppn MP’s to hold protest in Parliament complex on Monday to press for PM’s statement on Manipur

  • Despite 14 deaths in 26 days, DGP terms Bengal pre-poll violence ‘sporadic’

    By IANS

    KOLKATA: In spite of 14 deaths reported in pre-poll violence over the July 8 panchayat elections in West Bengal during the past 26 days, state Director General of Police Manoj Malviya dubbed the violent cases “sporadic”.

    With the body of BJP worker Bankim Hansda being recovered from a roadside in Purulia on Monday night, the death toll in pre-poll violence in the last 26 days rose to 14 since the poll date was announced on June 8.

    However, while speaking to the media, Malviya said stray incidents of violence and clashes are being blown out of proportion and projected in a big way.

    “There had been a couple of incidents, where the police had taken prompt action. We are working as per guidelines. The situation is well under control and incidents of violence have come down. The media is projecting minor incidents as major ones. This is not done,” Malviya said.

    He also claimed that there had been more severe violence in previous polls. “After the panchayat polls are over I will give comparative statistics on this count,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the political slugfest has started over his comment. Reacting to his comments, the state spokesman of BJP in West Bengal Samik Bhattacharya said that such an observation from the highest chair of state police is not acceptable after so many reported death cases. “The DGP seems to be speaking like the spokesman of the ruling Trinamool Congress,” Bhattacharya said.

    Former CPI(M) Lok Sabha member Samik Lahiri said that the situation in the state is not under control of police but that of the anti-social elements.

    “After such comments from the highest chair of the state police, how can we expect peace in the rural civic body polls,” Lahiri said.

    Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, however, seconded Malviya and said that the pre- poll violence in West Bengal this time had been in much lower proportion than what it was during the previous Left Front regime.

    KOLKATA: In spite of 14 deaths reported in pre-poll violence over the July 8 panchayat elections in West Bengal during the past 26 days, state Director General of Police Manoj Malviya dubbed the violent cases “sporadic”.

    With the body of BJP worker Bankim Hansda being recovered from a roadside in Purulia on Monday night, the death toll in pre-poll violence in the last 26 days rose to 14 since the poll date was announced on June 8.

    However, while speaking to the media, Malviya said stray incidents of violence and clashes are being blown out of proportion and projected in a big way.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “There had been a couple of incidents, where the police had taken prompt action. We are working as per guidelines. The situation is well under control and incidents of violence have come down. The media is projecting minor incidents as major ones. This is not done,” Malviya said.

    He also claimed that there had been more severe violence in previous polls. “After the panchayat polls are over I will give comparative statistics on this count,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the political slugfest has started over his comment. Reacting to his comments, the state spokesman of BJP in West Bengal Samik Bhattacharya said that such an observation from the highest chair of state police is not acceptable after so many reported death cases. “The DGP seems to be speaking like the spokesman of the ruling Trinamool Congress,” Bhattacharya said.

    Former CPI(M) Lok Sabha member Samik Lahiri said that the situation in the state is not under control of police but that of the anti-social elements.

    “After such comments from the highest chair of the state police, how can we expect peace in the rural civic body polls,” Lahiri said.

    Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen, however, seconded Malviya and said that the pre- poll violence in West Bengal this time had been in much lower proportion than what it was during the previous Left Front regime.

  • 50 held for clashes over ‘desecration’ of religious flag in Jamshedpur

    By PTI

    JAMSHEDPUR: Over 50 people have been arrested in connection with violence following the alleged desecration of a religious flag at Shastrinagar in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, police said on Monday.

    Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are also in force in the area, where brick-batting and arson had taken place between two groups on Sunday evening, they said.

    “Over 50 people, including state BJP leader Abhay Singh, have been arrested and further investigation is underway,” SSP Prabhat Kumar said.

    Police also conducted a flag march in the area in the morning, he said.

    Adequate police force has been deployed at Shastrinagar to maintain law and order, the SSP said.

    Locals also complained of disruption of internet services, but there was no official word on it.

    Two shops and an auto-rickshaw were set ablaze by the warring groups and the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob on Sunday evening.

    Tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday night when members of a local organisation found that a piece of meat was tagged to a Ram Navami flag, police said.

    The situation turned violent on Sunday evening when a shop was gutted, leading to brick-batting from both sides.

    East Singhbhum District Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav had Sunday said some anti-social elements were trying to disturb peace, and sought the cooperation of people to foil their plot.

    JAMSHEDPUR: Over 50 people have been arrested in connection with violence following the alleged desecration of a religious flag at Shastrinagar in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur, police said on Monday.

    Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC are also in force in the area, where brick-batting and arson had taken place between two groups on Sunday evening, they said.

    “Over 50 people, including state BJP leader Abhay Singh, have been arrested and further investigation is underway,” SSP Prabhat Kumar said.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Police also conducted a flag march in the area in the morning, he said.

    Adequate police force has been deployed at Shastrinagar to maintain law and order, the SSP said.

    Locals also complained of disruption of internet services, but there was no official word on it.

    Two shops and an auto-rickshaw were set ablaze by the warring groups and the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob on Sunday evening.

    Tension had been brewing in the area since Saturday night when members of a local organisation found that a piece of meat was tagged to a Ram Navami flag, police said.

    The situation turned violent on Sunday evening when a shop was gutted, leading to brick-batting from both sides.

    East Singhbhum District Deputy Commissioner Vijaya Jadhav had Sunday said some anti-social elements were trying to disturb peace, and sought the cooperation of people to foil their plot.

  • Bengal rural polls: Murder, bombs bring back fear of violence

    Express News Service

    KOLKATA:  As the state heads towards the panchayat elections, Opposition parties in West Bengal are fearing a re-run of the violence that erupted during the polls in 2018. The apprehensions have been triggered by a series of recent incidents, including recovery of crude bombs at various places and deaths of two persons, including a child, in the last 10 days. 

    On Thursday evening, the husband of a panchayat pradhan in Nadia district was gunned down in adjoining Murshidabad. Motirul Sheikh (49) was first shot and then stabbed at Naoda when he was returning home with his minor son riding pillion. Motirul’s wife Meera said he died because of politics, and initially demanded CBI investigation into the incident. But later she requested for a probe by the state’s Criminal Investigation Department. 

    A police complaint has been lodged against nine Trinamool Congress supporters. Sheikh’s murder follows the death of a nine-year-old who lost her life last week when she picked up a crude bomb out of curiosity at the home of her maternal uncle, who is a TMC supporter, in North 24 Parganas district. Police arrested Abu Hussain Gayen for storing bombs in his house. 

    In another incident, a crude bomb exploded at the under-construction house of a TMC leader in North 24 Parganas. Bombs were also recovered from near a primary school in South 24 Parganas’ Falta on Monday, which police suspect were stored for the purpose of using ahead or during the panchayat polls.

    “The stockpiling  of crude bombs is part of preparations for violence before the elections. This year, the ruling party will witness unprecedented intra-party feud over the issue of ticket distribution,” state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said. “Politics has become a medium of making money for them. In the previous rural polls, the ruling TMC cadres did not allow us to field candidates on thousands of seats. This time, too, they will exercise the same force, and we are ready to deal with it,” he added. 

    CPM’s central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty said Motirul’s murder showed the internal rivalry in the ruling party. “More such incidents will take place before the panchayat polls. For the TMC, making money is the only target for getting elected,” he said. 

    While holding a series of meetings with district leaders recently, TMC’s second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, asked the cadre to refrain from using force. “The party will not tolerate any strongarm tactics and use of violence to win the rural polls. If anyone violates the party’s diktat, stern action will be taken,” he said, asking the leaders to work as a team. In 2018, the TMC won over 20,000 seats in the three-tier polls uncontested. The Supreme Court had then called the uncontested win in 30% seats “shocking”.

    KOLKATA:  As the state heads towards the panchayat elections, Opposition parties in West Bengal are fearing a re-run of the violence that erupted during the polls in 2018. The apprehensions have been triggered by a series of recent incidents, including recovery of crude bombs at various places and deaths of two persons, including a child, in the last 10 days. 

    On Thursday evening, the husband of a panchayat pradhan in Nadia district was gunned down in adjoining Murshidabad. Motirul Sheikh (49) was first shot and then stabbed at Naoda when he was returning home with his minor son riding pillion. Motirul’s wife Meera said he died because of politics, and initially demanded CBI investigation into the incident. But later she requested for a probe by the state’s Criminal Investigation Department. 

    A police complaint has been lodged against nine Trinamool Congress supporters. Sheikh’s murder follows the death of a nine-year-old who lost her life last week when she picked up a crude bomb out of curiosity at the home of her maternal uncle, who is a TMC supporter, in North 24 Parganas district. Police arrested Abu Hussain Gayen for storing bombs in his house. 

    In another incident, a crude bomb exploded at the under-construction house of a TMC leader in North 24 Parganas. Bombs were also recovered from near a primary school in South 24 Parganas’ Falta on Monday, which police suspect were stored for the purpose of using ahead or during the panchayat polls.

    “The stockpiling  of crude bombs is part of preparations for violence before the elections. This year, the ruling party will witness unprecedented intra-party feud over the issue of ticket distribution,” state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said. “Politics has become a medium of making money for them. In the previous rural polls, the ruling TMC cadres did not allow us to field candidates on thousands of seats. This time, too, they will exercise the same force, and we are ready to deal with it,” he added. 

    CPM’s central committee member Sujan Chakrabarty said Motirul’s murder showed the internal rivalry in the ruling party. “More such incidents will take place before the panchayat polls. For the TMC, making money is the only target for getting elected,” he said. 

    While holding a series of meetings with district leaders recently, TMC’s second-in-command, Abhishek Banerjee, asked the cadre to refrain from using force. “The party will not tolerate any strongarm tactics and use of violence to win the rural polls. If anyone violates the party’s diktat, stern action will be taken,” he said, asking the leaders to work as a team. In 2018, the TMC won over 20,000 seats in the three-tier polls uncontested. The Supreme Court had then called the uncontested win in 30% seats “shocking”.

  • PFI involved in ‘disturbing’ secular fabric of India; targeting Hindu activists: Officials

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The PFI, banned on Wednesday, was indulging in “disturbing” the country’s communal and secular fabric and “posing a grave threat” to national security by advancing its radical ideology and seeking to establish “political Islam” in India besides targeting Hindu activists, officials said.

    According to officials monitoring activities of the PFI and its members, a secret ‘service team’ was formed, similar to the ‘hit squads’ whose main task was to provide security to senior PFI leaders and also kept track of Hindu leaders in their areas and plan action against them.

    They alleged the PFI covertly organises training exercises, and military-like drills, where participants are trained to use force and violence against certain religious groups, which are perceived as enemy of Islam.

    They further alleged that since its inception, the PFI has been against Hindu organisations and its leaders and the group has a secret hit squad that engages in targeted killings of Hindu activists and those allegedly indulging in blasphemy.

    The PFI is alleged to have been continuously involved in anti-government propaganda and spreading the narrative that Muslims were being persecuted in India.

    It had allegedly taken a lead in organising anti-CAA protests during December 2019-March 2020 and many cases were registered against them which included 51 in Uttar Pradesh alone where the PFI-led platform, Samvidhan Suraksha Andolan, was among those which coordinated the anti-CAA agitations.

    Through active involvement in the protests, the PFI was able to project itself as a prominent Muslim organisation capable of safeguarding the interests of the community.

    By projecting itself as a champion of Muslim causes, the PFI had been successful in attracting new members over the years.

    Its role in the Delhi riots was also investigated by the ED. In recent years, the peaceful atmosphere of the country was threatened by PFI, which has presence in 17 states, officials said.

    The murder of Praveen Nettaru in Bellare town on July 26 was one of the cases that exposed the violent character of PFI.

    ALSO READ: Kerala PFI general secretary announces outfit has been disbanded; nabbed

    Nettaru, a member of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha and a local businessman, was hacked to death in typical ISIS style by bike-borne assailants and most of the accused in the case had affiliation with the PFI, the officials alleged.

    An investigation by local police claimed a chilling tale of cold-blooded murder by PFI cadres and SDPI members in retaliation to the killing of 19-year-old Masood, a Muslim migrant labourer.

    A list of RSS and Bajrang Dal members of the town was prepared and a few were selected to avenge Masood’s death and Nettaru was chosen as he had commented on the halal issue, officials said.

    Disputing the claims of the PFI of being a social organisation working for the uplift of Muslims, the officials said on the contrary, the ground actions of PFI tell a totally different story with several of its cadres have a violent history.

    Over 1400 criminal cases had been registered against PFI cadres and its affiliates across the country including the UAPA, the Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and other sections of the IPC.

    The officials claimed that interrogation of the accused in various cases showed that the PFI would identify Muslim youths, from a poor or middle-class background, for physical training during which they were also inculcated with anti-Hindutva ideology.

    These cadres were trained in handling knife, sword, rods and how to attack specific body parts to inflict maximum damage.

    On July 4, Telangana Police registered a case against 27 people after a training camp for 200 PFI cadres was found in Nizamabad.

    The PFI had been trying hard to make inroads into Telangana to increase its cadre base and was undertaking social programmes like distributing school books and food to the poor.

    The officials alleged there have been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups where some of PFI activists, particularly from Kerala, had joined ISIS and had participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, which was the outcome of continuous radicalisation of its cadres.

    ALSO READ: Centre bans PFI and its associates for five years over terror links

    While investigating the foreign funding trail of PFI, the ED found that PFI had formed district executive committees in various gulf countries including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

    The India Fraternity Forum (IFF) and Indian Social Forum (ISF) were PFI’s overseas fronts and were to politically engage the expatriate Muslims to conform to their ideology and organise funds for activities of PFI in India.

    Their executive committees were responsible for sending money to PFI in India without leaving any trail.

    Funds were generally collected in cash and remitted to India either through hawala channels or camouflaged as remittances by sending it to the accounts of India-based relatives and friends of PFI’s members and sympathisers working abroad.

    Further, PFI had linkages with the dreaded Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, which was involved in several terror incidents in that country.

    Also, 21 people having linkages with the PFI had joined the internationally banned ISIS terror group.

    Some Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) training videos, depicting gruesome murders, were recovered from the PFI cadre accused in the professor TJ Joseph hand-chopping case in 2010.

    PFI’s top leaders had visited Turkey in 2018 and 2019 to attend programmes related to Palestine.

    Its radical activities had attracted the attention of an international radical outfit namely, the Party of Islamic Renewal, which had in April sent an online letter to PFI on the Twitter, praising its activities and urging it to organise a ‘Revolutionary Army’ for Jihad against the Indian government.

    Pertinently, PFI has also been targeting leaders of the Sufi Islamic Board, who were campaigning constantly for a ban on the PFI.

    Officials said since its inception in 2006, the PFI encouraged its cadres to undertake actions that mar peace and harmony among religious groups and disrupt secular fabric of the country.

    Giving a brief history, they said on December 9, 2006, three south Indian Muslim fundamentalist groups — National Development Front/NDF, Kerala; Karnataka Forum for Dignity/KFD, Karnataka; and Manitha Neethi Pasarai/MNP, Tamil Nadu, rechristened ‘South India Council’ (a Bengaluru-based organisation floated by NDF in 2004) as ‘Popular Front of India’.

    Several members of PFI, including its top leadership, had been active members of banned SIMI which included EM Abdul Rahiman (former Chairman), E Abubacker (Member, National Executive Council/NEC) and P Koya (Member, NEC).

    SIMI was banned in 2001 under the UAPA for anti-national activities. In their oath of allegiance, the PFI cadres swear to sacrifice their lives for the creation of Allah’s rule (Shariah).

    This oath was administered to the cadre only when he was judged to have been suitably radicalised for the group.

    PFI recruits were radicalised by the display of selective video clippings on emotive issues like Babri Masjid demolition, communal riots in Gujarat and other parts of the country, aimed at instilling a sense of Muslim persecution and distrust against the State as well as other communities.

    The officials claimed that during interrogation by the ED (December 2020), Rauf Sharief (former general secretary, CFI), had said that PFI runs a secret relief wing, which actually plans and executes revenge attacks on selected RSS leaders.

    On the funding part, the officials said that PFI receives dubious funding from within the country as well as from abroad.

    PFI and its affiliates maintain large number of bank accounts and receive money through its well-wishers/financers based in India and abroad.

    It also collects Zakat (donations) from its wealthy supporters. Investigating its finances, the CBDT observed its activities were not genuine.

    The source of deposits in 36 bank accounts, out of 85 accounts of PFI, were not supported by the financial profile of the account holders, and activities of PFI were not being carried out according to the objects of the trust.

    The ED had raided several office premises and residences of PFI leaders in 2020 and 2021 for suspected money laundering and arrested PFI leaders.

    During the probe, it was found the PFI had created a very well-organised structure in Gulf countries for raising of funds and the collected fund was sent to India through Hawala.

    It was found PFI was operating money laundering fronts overseas, which included Munnar Villa vista project in Kerala and Darbar restaurant in Abu Dhabi.

    ALSO READ: Welcoming PFI ban, Kerala politicians voice for RSS boycott

    In Munnar Villa vista project, lakhs of unaccounted cash were infused and some benami shareholders were located in UAE, who later transferred the shares to PFI leaders.

    The PFI was parking its illegally raised funds in this project so as to use them as and when required.

    ED probe also revealed Anshad Badruddin (PFI, arrested by UP ATS in Lucknow in February 2021 with arms and explosives) had received more than Rs 3 lakh from PFI (from 2018 to 2021) for criminal activities.

    The officials said the PFI’s accountant during the investigation, in the aftermath of Delhi riots, told his interrogators that PFI’s headquarters at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi kept crores of unaccounted money, which they use without any accountability.

    Many cases of Hawala money transactions were being investigated by various law enforcement agencies against PFI.

    NEW DELHI: The PFI, banned on Wednesday, was indulging in “disturbing” the country’s communal and secular fabric and “posing a grave threat” to national security by advancing its radical ideology and seeking to establish “political Islam” in India besides targeting Hindu activists, officials said.

    According to officials monitoring activities of the PFI and its members, a secret ‘service team’ was formed, similar to the ‘hit squads’ whose main task was to provide security to senior PFI leaders and also kept track of Hindu leaders in their areas and plan action against them.

    They alleged the PFI covertly organises training exercises, and military-like drills, where participants are trained to use force and violence against certain religious groups, which are perceived as enemy of Islam.

    They further alleged that since its inception, the PFI has been against Hindu organisations and its leaders and the group has a secret hit squad that engages in targeted killings of Hindu activists and those allegedly indulging in blasphemy.

    The PFI is alleged to have been continuously involved in anti-government propaganda and spreading the narrative that Muslims were being persecuted in India.

    It had allegedly taken a lead in organising anti-CAA protests during December 2019-March 2020 and many cases were registered against them which included 51 in Uttar Pradesh alone where the PFI-led platform, Samvidhan Suraksha Andolan, was among those which coordinated the anti-CAA agitations.

    Through active involvement in the protests, the PFI was able to project itself as a prominent Muslim organisation capable of safeguarding the interests of the community.

    By projecting itself as a champion of Muslim causes, the PFI had been successful in attracting new members over the years.

    Its role in the Delhi riots was also investigated by the ED. In recent years, the peaceful atmosphere of the country was threatened by PFI, which has presence in 17 states, officials said.

    The murder of Praveen Nettaru in Bellare town on July 26 was one of the cases that exposed the violent character of PFI.

    ALSO READ: Kerala PFI general secretary announces outfit has been disbanded; nabbed

    Nettaru, a member of Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha and a local businessman, was hacked to death in typical ISIS style by bike-borne assailants and most of the accused in the case had affiliation with the PFI, the officials alleged.

    An investigation by local police claimed a chilling tale of cold-blooded murder by PFI cadres and SDPI members in retaliation to the killing of 19-year-old Masood, a Muslim migrant labourer.

    A list of RSS and Bajrang Dal members of the town was prepared and a few were selected to avenge Masood’s death and Nettaru was chosen as he had commented on the halal issue, officials said.

    Disputing the claims of the PFI of being a social organisation working for the uplift of Muslims, the officials said on the contrary, the ground actions of PFI tell a totally different story with several of its cadres have a violent history.

    Over 1400 criminal cases had been registered against PFI cadres and its affiliates across the country including the UAPA, the Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and other sections of the IPC.

    The officials claimed that interrogation of the accused in various cases showed that the PFI would identify Muslim youths, from a poor or middle-class background, for physical training during which they were also inculcated with anti-Hindutva ideology.

    These cadres were trained in handling knife, sword, rods and how to attack specific body parts to inflict maximum damage.

    On July 4, Telangana Police registered a case against 27 people after a training camp for 200 PFI cadres was found in Nizamabad.

    The PFI had been trying hard to make inroads into Telangana to increase its cadre base and was undertaking social programmes like distributing school books and food to the poor.

    The officials alleged there have been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups where some of PFI activists, particularly from Kerala, had joined ISIS and had participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, which was the outcome of continuous radicalisation of its cadres.

    ALSO READ: Centre bans PFI and its associates for five years over terror links

    While investigating the foreign funding trail of PFI, the ED found that PFI had formed district executive committees in various gulf countries including the UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

    The India Fraternity Forum (IFF) and Indian Social Forum (ISF) were PFI’s overseas fronts and were to politically engage the expatriate Muslims to conform to their ideology and organise funds for activities of PFI in India.

    Their executive committees were responsible for sending money to PFI in India without leaving any trail.

    Funds were generally collected in cash and remitted to India either through hawala channels or camouflaged as remittances by sending it to the accounts of India-based relatives and friends of PFI’s members and sympathisers working abroad.

    Further, PFI had linkages with the dreaded Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, which was involved in several terror incidents in that country.

    Also, 21 people having linkages with the PFI had joined the internationally banned ISIS terror group.

    Some Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) training videos, depicting gruesome murders, were recovered from the PFI cadre accused in the professor TJ Joseph hand-chopping case in 2010.

    PFI’s top leaders had visited Turkey in 2018 and 2019 to attend programmes related to Palestine.

    Its radical activities had attracted the attention of an international radical outfit namely, the Party of Islamic Renewal, which had in April sent an online letter to PFI on the Twitter, praising its activities and urging it to organise a ‘Revolutionary Army’ for Jihad against the Indian government.

    Pertinently, PFI has also been targeting leaders of the Sufi Islamic Board, who were campaigning constantly for a ban on the PFI.

    Officials said since its inception in 2006, the PFI encouraged its cadres to undertake actions that mar peace and harmony among religious groups and disrupt secular fabric of the country.

    Giving a brief history, they said on December 9, 2006, three south Indian Muslim fundamentalist groups — National Development Front/NDF, Kerala; Karnataka Forum for Dignity/KFD, Karnataka; and Manitha Neethi Pasarai/MNP, Tamil Nadu, rechristened ‘South India Council’ (a Bengaluru-based organisation floated by NDF in 2004) as ‘Popular Front of India’.

    Several members of PFI, including its top leadership, had been active members of banned SIMI which included EM Abdul Rahiman (former Chairman), E Abubacker (Member, National Executive Council/NEC) and P Koya (Member, NEC).

    SIMI was banned in 2001 under the UAPA for anti-national activities. In their oath of allegiance, the PFI cadres swear to sacrifice their lives for the creation of Allah’s rule (Shariah).

    This oath was administered to the cadre only when he was judged to have been suitably radicalised for the group.

    PFI recruits were radicalised by the display of selective video clippings on emotive issues like Babri Masjid demolition, communal riots in Gujarat and other parts of the country, aimed at instilling a sense of Muslim persecution and distrust against the State as well as other communities.

    The officials claimed that during interrogation by the ED (December 2020), Rauf Sharief (former general secretary, CFI), had said that PFI runs a secret relief wing, which actually plans and executes revenge attacks on selected RSS leaders.

    On the funding part, the officials said that PFI receives dubious funding from within the country as well as from abroad.

    PFI and its affiliates maintain large number of bank accounts and receive money through its well-wishers/financers based in India and abroad.

    It also collects Zakat (donations) from its wealthy supporters. Investigating its finances, the CBDT observed its activities were not genuine.

    The source of deposits in 36 bank accounts, out of 85 accounts of PFI, were not supported by the financial profile of the account holders, and activities of PFI were not being carried out according to the objects of the trust.

    The ED had raided several office premises and residences of PFI leaders in 2020 and 2021 for suspected money laundering and arrested PFI leaders.

    During the probe, it was found the PFI had created a very well-organised structure in Gulf countries for raising of funds and the collected fund was sent to India through Hawala.

    It was found PFI was operating money laundering fronts overseas, which included Munnar Villa vista project in Kerala and Darbar restaurant in Abu Dhabi.

    ALSO READ: Welcoming PFI ban, Kerala politicians voice for RSS boycott

    In Munnar Villa vista project, lakhs of unaccounted cash were infused and some benami shareholders were located in UAE, who later transferred the shares to PFI leaders.

    The PFI was parking its illegally raised funds in this project so as to use them as and when required.

    ED probe also revealed Anshad Badruddin (PFI, arrested by UP ATS in Lucknow in February 2021 with arms and explosives) had received more than Rs 3 lakh from PFI (from 2018 to 2021) for criminal activities.

    The officials said the PFI’s accountant during the investigation, in the aftermath of Delhi riots, told his interrogators that PFI’s headquarters at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi kept crores of unaccounted money, which they use without any accountability.

    Many cases of Hawala money transactions were being investigated by various law enforcement agencies against PFI.

  • Several trains cancelled or diverted at Secunderabad Railway Station amid violent protests

    By Express News Service

    HYDERABAD: In the light of violent protest that broke out at Secunderabad Railway Station on Friday morning against the Central government’s ‘Agnipath’ scheme for recruitment in the armed forces, several trains which were to arrive and depart from Secunderabad Railway Station have been either cancelled or diverted to other railway stations like Kacheguda, Nampally and Begumpet railway station.

    Every day, the Secunderabad  Railway Station carries three lakh passengers.  Nearly 300 trains arrive and depart from Secunderabad.

    Over half a dozen trains which were stationed at Secunderabad and ready to depart have either been burnt and damaged by the protestors, protestors resorted to stone-pelting by picking stones from the railway tracks which were easily available and damaged glass panes of few trains. Several stalls and canteens were damaged by the protestors.

    SCR officials told Express that several trains which were to arrive at Secunderabad have been diverted to other railway stations as precautionary measures. Many trains which were scheduled to depart have been either cancelled or will run late till the situation normalises.

    ALSO READ | Agnipath protests in Telangana: Angry mob set trains on fire, ransack stations

    The damages to the railway stations and properties is being assessed and will be known in the evening. Passengers who came to the station to catch the trains ran away from the stations to save their lives. Women passengers with children bore the brunt as they were caught in the violent incident by the mob and ran for safety.   

    ALSO READ | Protest over Agnipath scheme escalates in Bihar, four trains set ablaze

    Due to agitation at Secunderabad Railway Station, certain train services were cancelled or diverted on Friday.

    Hyderabad – Shalimar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad, Secunderabad – Umdanagar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad, Secunderabad – Umdanagar, Umdanagar – Secunderabad were cancelled.

    Secunderabad – Repalle is partially cancelled and will originate from Cherlapalli on city outskirts.

    Shirdi Sai Nagar –  Kakinada Port is diverted at Sanathnagar, Ammuguda, Cherlapalli while   Bhubaneswar – Mumbai CST  is diverted at Cherlapally, Ammuguda, Sanathnagar.

  • Authorities raze property of close aide of main accused in Kanpur violence

    By PTI

    KANPUR: A week after the city witnessed chaotic protests marred by stone pelting, the Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) on Saturday demolished a multi-storey building allegedly owned by a close aide of the main accused in the incident, police said.

    Police also arrested one Nizam Qureshi, who officials claim is another mastermind of the June 3 violence.

    Qureshi was among the 36 accused whose names were mentioned in the FIR lodged soon after the violence, a police official said. Kanpur’s Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Anand Prakash Tiwari confirmed the arrest.

    ALSO READ | Kanpur violence: Property of main accused Zafar Hashmi’s close aide razed

    “Nizam Qureshi has been arrested from Kanpur in connection with the June 3 incident,” the officer said, adding that the accused had gone underground since the violence took place.

    According to police sources, Qureshi shared incendiary messages on social media platforms and provoked people to indulge in stone pelting. The investigators are trying to recover information related to the violence from Qureshi’s phone.

    “Qureshi was one of the key conspirators of the Kanpur violence. Messages from his mobile phones were sent to over half-a-dozen other mobile phones that are now being tracked,” said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

    Some crucial information pertaining to the violence was also found from a social media group of which the prime accused in the violence, Zafar Hayat Hashmi, was a member, the officer said.

    Qureshi is the head of Jamiatul Qureshi, an unofficial body of the Qureshi community in Kanpur. He is a former Samajwadi Party (SP) district secretary.

    District SP chief Imran told PTI that Qureshi was expelled from the party on May 22 for anti-party activities and not taking interest in the party’s programmes.

    Tiwari said the KDA has demolished a four-storey residential building owned by Mohammad Ishtiyaq, who is said to be a close aide of Hashmi.

    There are reasons to believe that investments in the construction of the building were made by Hashmi, the officer said, adding that the demolition was carried out in accordance with the relevant norms and regulations.

    Ishtiyaq passed away a couple of years ago, he said.  The building was located at Swaroopnagar and was built around three years ago, police said.

    Authorities brought down some parts of the ground floor and the first floor of the building amid heavy police deployment. The building was vacant at the time of the demolition, police said.

    According to police, Ishtiyaq, who ran a tailoring shop till a few years ago, was subsequently engaged in real estate business. Hashim was a major investor in the demolished building, they said.

    ALSO READ | Yogi government warns bulldozers would raze houses of ‘miscreants’ protesting against Prophet remark

    On Friday, a court here remanded Hashmi, Jawed Ahmad Khan, Mohammad Rahil and Sufiyan in police custody for three days. “The accused were taken into police custody on Saturday morning and will remain in custody till Tuesday morning,” Tiwari said.

    Violence broke out in Kanpur on June 3 after some people gathered demanding strict action against former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma over her comments on Prophet Mohammad.

    Sharma’s remarks riled many Arab countries and stoked protests in several parts of the country. She has since been suspended by the saffron party. At least 40 people, including some police personnel, were injured in the Kanpur violence. The rioters hurled petrol bombs and damaged public properties, including shops and vehicles.