NIA raids several places in Bihar as part of crackdown on PFI

In East Champaran district, where suspected PFI operative Irshad was arrested last month, an NIA team raided the house of one Sajjad Ansari in Kunava village

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted raids in several places in Bihar as part of its crackdown on Islamist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) which was banned by the Union Home Ministry last year.

One of these raids took place in Muzaffarpur district where an NIA team, assisted by the local police, raided the house of one Mohammad Saquib in Ankhauli village of Katra block.

While the officials were tight-lipped about the raid that began around 5 am and continued for a few hours, the father of Saquib, Neyaz Ahmed, told reporters, "They had come to inquire about my son. We told them that we have had no contact with him for about the past one year."

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"They also obtained the mobile number of my son, who is aged 30 years. They tried to call his number but got no reply. They took away two of his bank passbooks that were kept at home, along with some other documents," said Ahmed.

In adjoining East Champaran district, where suspected PFI operative Irshad was arrested last month, an NIA team raided the house of one Sajjad Ansari in Kunava village of Chakia sub-division.

Sajjad's brother Saddam, who ekes out a living in Dubai and was at home on a vacation, told reporters, "The team came to our home around 5 am. Sajjad was not around and no incriminating material was found during the search operation. They took away an ID proof of my brother."

In Darbhanga district, raids were conducted at two places, including a house of a local dentist.

The raid at the house of Dr Shariq Raza in Urdu Bazar locality of Laheria Sarai began at 4 am and continued for several hours.

In Shankarpur village of Singhvada police station area, an NIA team raided the house of one Mohammad Mahboob, a local politician who is in his forties. Notably, houses of two other suspected PFI operatives, Mohammad Mustaqim and Mohammad Sanaullah had been raided by the agency in the past.

According to police sources, Mahboob was not at his home at the time of the raid and the NIA sleuths were interrogating his mother, who is said to be mentally unstable, and two brothers.

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Incidentally, Darbhanga is also home to another suspected PFI operative Nuruddin Jangi, a resident of Urdu Mohalla in Town police station area, who was arrested from Lucknow in July last year.

In Madhubani district, the NIA raided the house of Mohammad Shahabuddin in Barhara village under Mishraulia panchayat of Babubarhi police station.

Shahabuddin, who is in his mid-twenties, was not found at home, and the NIA team interrogated his ailing mother Shakila Khatoon, younger brother Kalimuddin, sister Shahnaz Khatun and sister-in-law Anjum Parveen.

Besides, NIA raids were underway at two villages of Kodha block of Katihar district.

One of these raids took place at the house of Mohammad Nazeem in Rajbara village, while the other was at Mohammad Hassan's place in Chaanpi village.

Notably, a PFI module was busted in Phulwari Sharif area of Patna last year which brought to light the activities of PFI a few months before the organisation was banned.

Last month, the NIA had said it has arrested altogether 13 persons in connection with the Phulwari Sharif module and charge-sheets have been filed against four of them.