The police raided the offices of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the houses of its leaders and functionaries at several places in the district on Tuesday afternoon.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Palakkad, led the raids held at Kalmandapam, Chadanamkurissi, BOC Road, and Sanghuvarathodu in Palakkad town. The raids took place simultaneously.
However, the police refused to divulge any details about the raids. Sources within the force said the raids followed the incidents of violence that had taken place at several parts of the State when the PFI called for a hartal in the wake of a nation-wide crackdown on it on Thursday last.
The police said raids were also being held on the houses of some Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) leaders.
In Wayanad
Weapons were seized in a police raid on a PFI activist's shop at Mananthavady in Wayanad district in the evening.
A police team, led by Deputy Police Superintendent A.P. Chandran, seized four swords from the tyre shop, Wayanad Police Chief R. Anand said. The shop was run by A. Salim, a local leader of the PFI, who was absconding.
B. Shahul, a worker at the shop also a PFI activist, was taken into custody, he said. The swords were kept in gunny bags hidden in a heap of used tyres.
The police also raided a PFI office at Buffalo street at Mananthavady and recovered some documents, Mr. Anand said.
The raids, which began around 4.30 p.m., was under way at some establishments of PFI activists at Vellamunda, Panamaram and Mananthavady in the district, Mr. Anand added.
