Sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) strolling out of the premises of Mohamed Sigam, a functionary of Madurai district unit of Popular Front of India, at Goripalayam in Madurai, after conducting searches on September 22, 2022
| Photo Credit: R. ASHOK

Sleuths of National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested 5 functionaries of Popular Front of India (PFI) in Madurai on Thursday, as a part of nationwide searches. The members of the family of the arrested individuals complained of excesses and “human-rights violation” throughout the early morning operation.

The NIA officers who’ve been tenting in Madurai since Wednesday, swooped on the residences of seven functionaries of PFI throughout the simultaneous searches carried out since 3.30 a.m. on Thursday.

Among the arrested are A. Mohammed Idris (35), PFI State orator, S. Mohammed Abudhagir (36), district president, M. Syed Ishak (35) district secretary, S. Kaja Maideen, state orator and A. Khalith Mohammed (47), State deputy president.

Though the groups had gone to the residences of A. Mohammed Yusuf and P. Mohammed Idris, they weren’t out there within the homes.

Later talking to reporters, Socialist Democratic Party of India, common secretary, Najma Begum, complained that a large police posse, led by the NIA sleuths, banged the doorways of the homes of the PFI functionaries within the lifeless of the evening.

Members of Popular Front of India (PFI) shout slogans in opposition to the officers of National Investigation Agency (NIA) who carried out searches on the premises of Mohammed Sigam, an office-bearer of the PFI’s Madurai district unit, at Goripalayam in Madurai on September 22, 2022.
| Photo Credit:
R. ASHOK

“My children and ailing mother were terrified by the armed men barging into the house. Without divulging any details or showing any documents, they started to search the house. After taking a laptop and a mobile phone, they tried to force me to sign in some papers,” she alleged.

The police personnel refused to permit them to even fetch milk for the crying baby, Ms. Begum charged. Another girl complained that the police had damaged open the door to enter the home in a way akin to makes an attempt to arrest terrorists.

The girls stated they weren’t instructed in regards to the prices in opposition to the PFI functionaries. “Till this moment, we do not know where they have been taken to,” she stated including that Chief Minister, M.Okay. Stalin, ought to intervene in opposition to the “undemocratic act”.