Kerala: One of the 6 suspected PFI activists in police custody for attacking Army jawan

A day after an Indian army jawan was attacked by unknown men in Kerala, the police have taken one person into custody in the Kadakkal town of Kollam district. The police action came in view of the complaint filed by the army personnel alleging he was attacked by six persons, who painted 'PFI' on his back. 

In the complaint filed, the army jawan, Shine Kumar, alleged that he was attacked by a group of men in a rubber forest next to his house on Sunday night. Describing the incident, he informed that the miscreants tied up his hands with tape, and wrote PFI on his back with green paint.

Based on the jawan’s complaint, a case was registered in the matter under sections 143,147, 323, 341 and 153 of the Indian Penal Code.

It is speculated that the PFI written on the back of the jawan may refer to the banned Islamic outfit “Popular Front of India”. However, there is no official confirmation from the police in the matter. 

PFI written on back of army jawan with green paint. (Credit: Republic)

Notably, the attack on the army personnel came at a time when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting raids across multiple locations in Kerala in connection with the probe into the now-banned PFI under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

PFI banned in India 

The Islamist outfit PFI, known as Popular Front of India, was banned by the central government in September 2022 for a period of five years in India after it came under the scanner of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The organisation was banned for its alleged links with global terror groups and terror funding.