Raids at Kannur in Kerala over PFI violence

The Kerala police on Sunday carried out raids at various shops in the Kannur district of the state.

According to sources, the raids were in connection with a probe into the widespread violence in the district during the hartal observed by Popular Front of India (PFI) in the state on Friday. Many places raided were said to be associated with PFI leaders and activists.

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Shops in Kannur city and Valapattanam and Mattanur towns were raided. Some mobile phones were reportedly seized and CCTV footage examined. Police, however, were tight lipped about the raids.

The Kannur district witnessed large number of incidents of violence during the recent PFI hartal. A total of 33 cases were registered and 41 people were arrested, apart from the police taking 110 people into preventive custody in the district.

The Centre was learnt to have sought a report from the state on the widespread violence during the hartal. A total of 308 cases were registered and 1,287 persons were arrested in connection with violence across the state. As many as 834 persons have been kept in preventive detention also, the police said.