CHENNAI: After the Union government announced a five-year ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and affiliated organisations, the Tamil Nadu police heightened security across the State on Wednesday.
In Chennai, at least 3,000 personnel were deployed at potential protest sites.
About 150 police personnel and the Tamil Nadu Battalion police were deployed on Mookathal Street in Purasawalkam in Chennai, which houses the PFI State headquarters. Around the State, personnel were deployed at district centres of the PFI. Superintendents of police and police commissioners were ordered to secure areas where protests could be held.
In Chennai, some buildings, including the office of State BJP unit, were provided additional security to avoid untoward incidents. Security was also beefed up in places that house a large Muslim population, such as Royapettah, Thousand Lights, and Triplicane.
TN PFI president Mohammed Sheikh Ansari was scheduled to meet the press on Wednesday morning but the meet was cancelled citing the ban. “We will fight this ban legally. All activities related to PFI have been suspended,” Ansari said in a press release.
MH Jawararirullah, from Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Seeman, from NTK, and other political representatives objected to the ban. A week ago, 11 PFI members were arrested in a coordinated search operation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the State police. The raid was in connection to alleged terror-related activities of the PFI, according to the NIA.