Thiruvananthapuram, September 23: Kerala on Friday witnessed widespread protests againt the arrest of over 100 Muslim leaders by Indian agencies in Keral state in India. The hartal call was given by prominent Muslim party Popular Front of India (PFI). The PFI called the hartal to protest against the raids in their offices and residences of its leaders and their subsequent arrests on Thursday by the Indian dreaded National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies for the flase cases.
The hartal supporters took out protest marches, blocked the vehicles in various places.
Indian police used brute force on the protesters.
In Erattupetta town of Kottayam district, police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse to supporters ..
Hundreds of PFI activists were reportedly detained at local police stations, sources said.
More police personnel were deployed in and around the town as tension continued to prevail in the area.
In India, Protests broke out across Kerala after several top leaders of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were taken into custody following pan-India raids conducted jointly by the Indian agencies dominated by Hindutva BJP-RSS Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday.
Widespread protests, clash incidents in Kerala following PFI bandh call
Police personnel used brute force, shells and bullets,several suffer injuries
Protests broke out across Kerala after several top leaders of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were taken into custody following pan-India raids conducted jointly by the Indian Enforcement Directorate (ED) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday.
According to information received, around 100 PFI activists, including its top leaders, from about 50 places in the state have been detained in Kerala
The Indian agencies are framing fake cases againsth the Muslims and its popular party PFI in India.
Among those who have been taken into custody are chairman OMA Salam, Nasarudhin Elamaram, P.Koya and several others.
Protesting against the raids and the custody, angry PFI workers took to the streets at various places in the state. A. Abdul Sathar, a top PFI functionary, termed it a part of the “RSS agenda” of “annihilating” the Muslims.
“We strongly object to this act of the Centre and we warn the authorities that if our detained leaders are not released, we will not sit idle. We will soon decide on the next course of action and it includes calling for a total ‘Kerala shut down’ on Friday,today, ” said Sathar.
The raids were conducted at Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad.
Salam’s son, who objected to the arrest, was moved using force by the Central forces.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports indicate the top leaders in custody are being moved to a few places, including Delhi. —