Suspected PFI link: NIA raids community hall in Mangaluru

Sleuths of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday raided the freedom community hall at Mittur in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada district on the suspicion that PFI workers were trained in its premises.

What is the PFI? Why has it been banned?

One of the trustees of the trust which runs the hall, Ayub Agnadi was arrested by NIA officials, while another trustee Masood Agnadi is absconding, police sources said. NIA suspects that training was given to activists of the banned PFI in isolated areas at Bantwal, Puttur and Sullia to carry out terrorist activities. Many youths from across the state are suspected to have been trained at the freedom community hall at Mittur, which was opened by the trust in 2007.

Search is on for the absconding trustee Masood, sources said. NIA had earlier raided the hall on September 6 in connection with the probe into the murder of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettar.