Centre bans Popular Front of India for 5 years over terror and unlawful activities

In a major declaration, the Central Government  declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate ban  for a period of five years.The PFI and its affiliate organisations have been declared an "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the government said, citing the outfit's links with the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Islamic State or ISIS, and said the PFI is involved in several criminal and terror cases.

"With funds and ideological support from outside, it has become a major threat to the internal security of the country," said a Home Ministry order. Several criminal activities and brutal murders have been committed by PFI members over the past to create reign of terror in public mind," it said.Three states - Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh - have recommended a ban on the organisation, the ministry said.PFI leaders and functionaries across 15 states were first raided on September 22, in a coordinated move by National Investigating Agency (NIA), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the state police, leading to over 100 arrests.The second round of nationwide crackdown on the organisation was carried out yesterday. A total of 247 arrests have been made so far, officials said.