Raids conducted in 3 other states

Ponda: As part of nationwide searches, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the wee hours of Tuesday detained one Mohammad Hanif Ahrar (42) from the Nagamasjid area of Curti-Ponda for his alleged links to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). Ahrar was residing in rented premises at Curti and is a native of Bihar.

As per information, searches were also carried out by the NIA on PFI members in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab.

According to police sources, Hanif Ahrar was earlier working as an imam in a prominent Masjid at Curti-Ponda. He was later removed by committee members. It is learnt that he was associated with All India Imam Council (AIIC) for a couple of years and he was travelling to different parts of India to disseminate Islamic preaching to the Muslim community to spread the activities of Imam Council.

Reacting to the crackdown on PFI in Curti, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the NIA must have raided the PFI member at Ponda, based on some information.

“If someone has contacts with the PFI, the NIA will conduct raid on them too,” he added, pointing out that this is the need of the hour.

Earlier in the year, Sawant had said that the Goa Police are keeping a close watch on the banned organisation PFI and its supporters, particularly Altaf Sayad, who reportedly donated funds to ‘We for Fatorda’ organisation.