Two more PFI activists held for conspiring to carry out targeted killings in Bihar

BETTIAH: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested two more Popular Front of India (PFI) activists on the charge of carrying out targeted killings and disrupting communal harmony in Bihar’s East Champaran district, officials of the investigating agency said on Sunday.

East Champaran’s superintendent of police (SP) Kantesh Kumar Mishra said that those arrested have been identified as Tanveer Raza and Mohammad Abid, residents of Bahadurpur in Mehsi block of East Champaran.

According to a press release issued by the NIA on Sunday, the duo was arrested during raids conducted at eight locations in a bid to disrupt a conspiracy hatched by PFI cadres to carry out targeted killing in East Champaran on Saturday.

“The duo had arranged weapons and ammunition to carry out the killing. The arms and ammunition had been handed over to a PFI trainer, Yakoob, who had been conducting training sessions for PFI cadres. Some days ago, Yakoob had posted a derogatory and inflammatory video post on Facebook, which was aimed at disturbing the peace and communal harmony. Other users of FB had commented and trolled this post abusively,” said the release.

NIA officials said that Yakoob is absconding and efforts are on to arrest him.

The raids and arrests were made in a case (RC -31) lodged last year that pertains to the involvement of PFI and its leaders and cadres in violent and unlawful activities, who had assembled for that purpose in the Phulwarisharif area in Patna.

Earlier, five people were picked up for interrogation on the suspicion of conspiring for targeted killings and touching off communal harmony. During the searches conducted on Saturday, multiple digital devices were seized. Further investigations in the case are in progress, officials said.