6 PFI members named in FIR over PMK worker's killing

On the day when the Jharkhand government banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) in its state, Republic TV has learnt that the Tamil Nadu police has named six members of the outfit in an FIR related to the killing of PMK worker Ramalingam.

A total of eight individuals were named in the FIR of the murder of the PMK worker, out of which, six were of the PFI. The Thanjavur police has alleged that the killing was done for communal reasons, in order to bring fear in the minds of those who spoke against religious conversions by the Islamist radicals.

Further, it is also reported that the murder came about after a conspiracy, which was like that of a terror organization. All the accused have been charged under 14 sections including rioting and criminal conspiracy. It is also alleged that Ramalingam was killed because he had argued against the said individuals and their efforts to divide the people on the basis of religion.

These are the following sections under which they've been booked: 143, 147, 148, 120(B), 341, 294(B), 302(RW), 149 IBC, 15(A) (1) RW, 16, 18, 18(B),19 & 20.

Jharkhand Government Bans Popular Front Of India (PFI)

This development comes at a time when the Jharkhand government reimposed the ban on the PFI months after their original ban was revoked following orders by the Jharkhand High Court.

Republic TV accessed the official order letter of the Jharkhand government, in which they have stated that the outfit had been conducting radical activities in the state. Government sources have mentioned that this time around, they has followed all the necessary procedures before banning the organisation.

According to the Jharkhand government, the PFI has links with other terrorist organizations and are trying to radicalize the people in the state through their ideology, which is inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS).

In February of 2018, Raghubar Das' government had declared PFI as unlwaful and banned the outfit. But a few months later, the Jharkhand HC revoked state government's decision to ban the PFI. The court slammed the state government of not going ahead with the norms and revoked its February decision to ban the outfit.