Judge and prominent leaders among 950 on Popular Front's hit list; NIA says elimination plans were in place

KOCHI: A hit list allegedly compiled by the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) has been uncovered, listing nearly 950 individuals from Kerala, including a district judge and prominent political figures. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) informed the special court that the list was recovered during investigations involving PFI members arrested in multiple cases.

The disclosure came during a court hearing on the bail applications of the accused. The NIA told the court that those named in the list were viewed by the PFI as threats to the organisation and that concrete plans had been made to eliminate them.

According to the NIA, the list was obtained from arrested PFI operative Sirajuddin, as well as absconding member Abdul Wahid and another accused, Ayub. All four PFI members who applied for bail argued in court that they were innocent. However, the court rejected their bail pleas, stating that bail could not be granted at this stage of the investigation.

In a further revelation, the NIA stated that the PFI had conducted weapons training sessions at the Periyar Valley Campus in Aluva, a location that had previously been shut down by the government.