STF foils terror attack plan, arrests two PFI men with explosives

The duo is native of Kerala and had planned to conduct explosions near functions of Hindu organisations on Basant Panchami, and other strategic locations in UP PRASHANT KUMAR, ADG, law and order

The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday foiled a plan to carry out terror attacks in the state by arresting two Popular Front of India (PFI) members, said additional director of general (ADG), law and order, Prashant Kumar.

He said the STF has recovered 16 high explosive devices with battery detonators, a pistol and live cartridges from their possession.

Addressing a press conference here, the ADG said, “A team of STF arrested Asad Badruddin and Firoz Khan, the PFI members, from near Gudamba area in Lucknow. The duo is native of Kerala and had planned to conduct explosions near functions of Hindu organisations on Basant Panchami, and other strategic locations in UP. Their aim was to create religious enmity in society by doing so.”

Kumar said a hunt for the duo had started when STF came to know about plans of PFI to conduct terror attacks in Uttar Pradesh and recruit educated youngsters in their organization. “We came to know from intelligence sources that two people of PFI have come to UP by train. We formed a team and alerted our sources to track them,” said ADG, STF, Amitabh Yash.

A case was in the process of being registered against the duo at the Anti-Terror Squad police station in Lucknow.

PFI, which claims to be a social youth organisation based in Kerala, has been under the radar of Uttar Pradesh police since 2019 when many of its members, across the state, were arrested in connection with the violent anti CAA-NRC protests.