The National Investigation Agency on Thursday conducted raids at 56 locations in Kerala linked to the banned Muslim organisation Popular Front of India, PTI reported.

The premises that are being raided include homes of second-rung leaders of the organisation, according to the news agency. In September, the Centre had banned the Popular Front of India and its associates for five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for allegedly having links with terror groups.

The raids, which started in the early hours of Thursday, were targeted at suspected functionaries of the Popular Front of India in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kozhikode and Malappuram, The Hindu reported.

Tax officials were among those who conducted the raids. This pointed to the possibility that the National Investigation Agency wants to collect private financial information, including tax filings of Popular Front of India members, an unidentified official told the newspaper.

The government notification regarding the ban on the Popular Front of India had alleged that the Muslim organisation along with its eight affiliates have been involved in “violent terrorist activities” and intended to create a reign of terror in the country, endangering security and public order.