Inflammatory messages: Kerala-based outfit under scanner

Kerala-based Popular Front of India has come under the scanner of intelligence agencies for its suspected role in spreading inflammatory SMSes and MMSes following the Assam violence, that triggered exodus of northeastern people from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Taking note of reports in this regard in local media, Kerala Home Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan has asked the additional director general of police (intelligence) to crosscheck the matter with central authorities.

"We have taken note of the reports. The intelligence head of the state police has been asked to crosscheck the matter with central agencies to find out the facts," Radhakrishnan told PTI.

He said so far there had been no reported incident of panic fleeing by migrant northeasterners from Kerala as had happened in some other states.

Only an isolated case of some unidentified persons intimidating migrant workers in a hollow-brick unit in Malappuram district had been reported and cases had been registered against 12 persons, he said.

Meanwhile, rejecting reports that it was involved in creating scare among the labourers from the northeast states, PFI general secretary Abdul Hameed said the organisation was ready to face any inquiry. "This is not for the first time that PFI is being targetted. In all earlier cases, PFI has proved the allegations wrong and come out clean. But, unfortunately, our innocence never used to get published in media," Hameed said.