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Pointing out that hartals were banned by it earlier, the court directed the state government to take strict action against those who violated its order. The destruction of public property is unacceptable, it said. The Kerala High Court had in a January 2019 order said that nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days.
In Karnataka, state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has said the process has started to ban PFI. State police had searched 18 places yesterday and 15 people were picked up for questioning, he said, adding that seven people were arrested by the NIA.
Sporadic incidents of violence, including stone pelting, were reported since Friday morning in various parts of Kerala as the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by PFI was underway. Two police officers were earlier today injured in Kollam district after allegedly being attacked by PFI supporters.
The hartal was called by the PFI to protest against the raids in the offices and residences of its leaders and their subsequent arrests on Thursday by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. It started at 6 am and will continue for 12 hours till 6 pm.
Hartal supporters took out protest marches, blocked vehicles, and forcefully downed the shutters of shops in various places where the outfit has a strong presence. Besides police personnel, some bus and lorry drivers, and commuters suffered injuries in stone pelting and other related incidents.
The NIA on Thursday morning raided the premises linked to PFI in several states. Over 100 top PFI leaders and functionaries have been arrested during raids in 10 states, including in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The raids were carried out by the NIA, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and state police in a coordinated move. The group had called for a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Kerala on Friday to mark their protest.
In what is believed to be the "largest ever" crackdown till date, raids and searches are being carried out against those allegedly involved in terror funding, organising training camps, and radicalising others to join extremist groups. 22 people were arrested in Kerala -- the most among all states.
The PFI state committee has said that it considers the arrests "unjust" and "part of atrocities by the state". "A hartal will be held in the state on September 23, Friday, against the RSS-controlled fascist government's move to use central agencies to silence dissenting voices," it said. The PFI also called upon the "democratic believers" to make success the strike against the "fascist regime that crush the civil rights".
On Tuesday, the anti-terror agency charged four PFI functionaries under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) after carrying out searches at 38 locations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
