PFI members were trained in self-defence, facing media queries

The recently banned Popular Front of India (PFI) was allegedly providing different types of training to members to safeguard them from the police and the media. Training was provided in small groups in different parts of the state, said officials associated with investigation agencies.

They said the new recruits in the PFI were reportedly made to attend lectures of their influencers (religious speakers). Besides, they were trained in self-defence and were made to attend human rights classes to protect them from police detention and arrests. They were also trained to answer media questions or use media houses at the time of a crisis.

The officials said these revelations were made during rigorous interrogation of Faizan, Rehan and Dilshad, arrested by the UP Special Task Force (STF) from Lucknow on September 27. They said the different types of training modules were designed for new PFI recruits—the recruitment was done by Mohd Ahmad Beg Nadvi, who is a religious speaker.

“Nadvi, who was arrested from a house in Madeyganj locality by UP STF on September 23, was the main recruiter in the state. He used to recruit youths into the PFI after influencing them through his religious speeches and narrating false story about atrocities against minorities,” an official, privy to the investigation, emphasised and added, “Nadvi has been taken in custody remand for five days by the National Investigation Agency from Saturday to interrogate him further”.