UP Police arrest 3 PFI members from Lucknow, 5 from Kanpur for anti-CAA riots

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New Delhi: At least three members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested on Friday (January 31) from Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow for their alleged links in the violence that had erupted in the city during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests on December 23, 2019.

The three accused have been identified as Shakilurraham, Shabi Khan and Mohammad Arshad and have been charged of instigating violence during the anti-CAA protests and National Register of Citizens in the state capital last month. 

Apart from Lucknow, five other members of PFI have also been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police on similar charges in Kanpur. According to an IANS report, the five arrested persons, according to sources, were planning to disrupt the function being held to mark the culmination of the 'Ganga Yatra' from Bijnor and Ballia in which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is the chief guest.

"We received a tip-off and have arrested these five persons. We will get more details after interrogation. They have links with the PFI that instigated the anti-CAA violence in December in which three persons were killed," said a senior police official.

The names of the arrested persons are yet to be ascertained.

It may be recalled that the Enforcement Directorate is also probing the bank accounts of the PFI members to ascertain the source of funding for the anti-CAA protests.