KOCHI: The NIA had issued a lookout circular before arresting Popular Front leaders from their homes on Thursday morning. The aim was to prevent people from leaving the country through airports and seaports. A lookout message will be received at immigration as soon as the passport is produced.

It is indicated that there is a lookout circular against the state general secretary A Abdul Sathar and secretary C Rauf. Both are absconding after the declaration of hartal. They are the accused number three and twelve in the case.

The state police got the information at 10 pm on the day of the raid. Then the NIA passed on the information to the district police chiefs to be ready, but did not reveal the action location or other details.

NIA mission teams had landed at all the four airports in Kerala. Most of them returned. A few top NIA officials are still camping in Kochi. This is part of the interrogation of 11 Popular Front leaders in custody. There are indications that some of them will be included as accused in the cases registered in Delhi. In that case, they may be taken into custody again and then taken to Delhi. The accused have been remanded in NIA custody till October 30.