All 16 activists were released on bail a day later, after it was found that the activists were merely preparing for the PFI's annual parade that is to be held in February.
PFI Annual Parade: Image for representation
Tension prevailed in Mandya's KR Pete on Monday after 16 activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested on suspicion that they were involved in weapons training. All 16 activists, who were arrested on Sunday from Alambadi village in Mandya, were released on bail a day later after it was found that the activists were merely preparing for the PFI's annual parade held in February. "Normally, practices for parades are carried out in school grounds and other open areas. This was a remote area and we thought they might be involved in weapons training. So, we took them into custody for enquiry and we realised that it (the gathering) was practice for their annual parade,” Mandya SP K Parashuram told TNM. According to the police, the activists had gathered at an open space near a remote sugarcane field. The police filed a suo motu case after receiving information from local residents living in the area about the gathering. Police also said that few activists had prior cases registered against them. Meanwhile, on Monday, during the bail hearing at the premises of the court complex in KR Pete town, the lawyers appearing on behalf of the PFI activists claimed that they were stopped by a section of lawyers and members of pro-Hindu groups and were asked to not argue for the accused persons in court. A team of advocates had arrived in KR Pete from Bengaluru to move bail applications for the arrested activists. Eventually, the court granted conditional bail for all the accused persons. "There was pressure on lawyers (who moved bail applications) to not even represent our activists in court. This is the direction in which we are headed," Ashraf, a member of PFI, said to TNM. This was confirmed by Mandya SP, K Parashuram, who added, "There were lawyers who agitated against the lawyers who were applying for the activists' bail but no untoward incident was reported." Ashraf also alleged intimidation by the police and accused the cops of targeting PFI. "The people who own and maintain the open area did not file a police complaint. The police are justifying it by claiming that it was being held in a remote area. We want to ask why the police and the media are targeting an organisation working for the minorities. This is a cause for concern," Ashraf added. PFI celebrates February 17 every year as Popular Front Day. This year was the 12th anniversary of the formation of PFI by merging like-minded organisations across several states.
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