MANJERI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached the Green Valley Academy at Karaparamba in Manjeri after finding that the banned outfit Popular Front (PFI) has been using it as a centre for providing arms and physical training to its members. The 10-hectare Green Valley is the sixth PFI arms training centre and the 18th property of the outfit to be attached by the NIA in Kerala as "proceeds of terrorism" under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The NIA team from Kochi reached the academy at 6 pm yesterday and conducted an inspection. The agency also issued a notice for attaching the property. The NIA had conducted an inspection at the academy some months ago. It had found pamphlets and other publications from the academy back then. It is reported that the notice was issued as a follow-up action to this.

The Green Valley Academy in Manjeri is managed by the ‘Green Valley Foundation’ (GVF) and was used by the cadres of the National Development Front and subsequently by the PFI into which it merged, said the NIA. As per the NIA, the PFI had been using the property for "imparting arms training, physical training, and training on use and testing of explosives to its cadres, identified to be part of their ‘Service Wing’." The facility was also used to harbour several ‘PFI Service Wing’ members after they committed crimes, including murders, the NIA said.

The five other PFI training centres attached previously by the NIA in Kerala were Malabar House, Periyar Valley, Valluvanad House, Karunya Charitable Trust and Trivandrum Education and Service Trust (TEST).

Another 12 PFI Offices, used by the outfit’s leadership intermittently to organise training in arms and physical training, ideological propagation, and training for the commission of various crimes, including murders and terrorist acts, have also been attached.