Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive raids in the Tamil Nadu districts of Mayiladuthurai and Chennai on Tuesday. The operation commenced at 3.30 a.m. and targeted 20 locations.
Of these 15 locations are in Mayiladuthurai and five in Chennai, with teams from Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu participating. The Tamil Nadu Police were also assisting in the raids.
According to police sources, the raids focused on areas associated with the banned Islamic fundamentalist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI). The NIA has previously conducted similar operations in Tamil Nadu, targeting areas such as Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Madurai, and others. These raids primarily focused on former members of the outlawed PFI, which was banned by the Central government in 2022.
The latest operation is reportedly linked to the investigation into the 2019 murder of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Ramalingam in Thanjavur. Ramalingam was allegedly killed by PFI members on February 5, 2019, for opposing forced religious conversions among underprivileged communities.
The NIA had earlier filed a charge sheet against 18 individuals in connection with this case. In an earlier operation on September 24, 2024, the NIA raided 12 locations in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Kanyakumari, and Pudukottai. These raids were connected to the recruitment activities of the banned terror organisation Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT), which aims to establish an Islamic state governed by its founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani’s constitution.
The NIA took over the HUT case from Tamil Nadu Police and arrested an HUT activist, Aziz Ahamed (also known as Jaleel Aziz Ahmed), at Bengaluru International Airport on August 31, 2024, as he attempted to flee the country.
Aziz’s arrest was seen as a significant breakthrough in the crackdown on HUT’s activities in India. Earlier, on August 1, 2024, Tamil Nadu Police arrested six individuals associated with HUT based on intelligence inputs. Among them were engineering graduate Hameed Hussain, his father, and his brother, who were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of three additional suspects following raids in Chennai and North Tambaram.
Police revealed that Hameed Hussain was the mastermind behind the recruitment efforts for HUT and had been actively sharing videos on social media advocating for an Islamic Caliphate. He also criticised the democratic process in some of his videos, according to authorities. The NIA continues its investigation into these networks, focusing on their recruitment strategies and attempts to undermine national security through radicalisation efforts.