Tamil Nadu: Petrol-filled bottle hurled at BJP office in Coimbatore hours after NIA raids against PFI

A bottle filled with inflammable substance were hurled at the BJP office in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore on Thursday night triggering tension in the area.

Following this, BJP workers protested in the area demanding action against the culprits. According to BJP, this is a kind of "terror attack".

Police reached the spot to take control of the situation and conducted a preliminary investigation.

The NIA on Thursday took A.S. Ismail, national executive committee member of PFI, into custody from Coimbatore.

Speaking to reporters, Nandkumar, a BJP worker said, "Petrol bomb was thrown at our office, this is how terror attacks come. Today raids (against PFI) took place at several places. It is the anniversary of Hindu Munnani leader and BJP National president too is in the state."

The incident came hours after National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and the state police forces jointly carried out coordinated searches at the houses and offices of the top Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders and members across India on Thursday, including Tamil Nadu.

Searches were conducted at 93 locations in 15 states of India on Thursday. The states where the raids were conducted included Andhra Pradesh (4), Telangana (1), Delhi (19), Kerala (11), Karnataka (8), Tamil Nadu (3), Uttar Pradesh (1), Rajasthan (2), Hyderabad (5), Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur.

These searches were conducted at the houses and offices of the top Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders and members in connection with 5 cases registered by the NIA following continued inputs and evidence that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.

A large number of criminal cases have been registered by different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts.

During the searches conducted this morning, incriminating documents, cash, sharp-edged weapons and a large number of digital devices have been seized. The NIA has made 45 arrests in these cases. When the NIA conducted the raids, they found several incriminating documents, more than 100 mobile phones and laptops.

(ANI)

Also Read: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat meets muslim intellectuals, discusses religious harmony