Pro-Khalistan messages were found written on the walls of at least five metro stations in Delhi. The incident comes ahead of the G20 summit that will be hosted by India on September 9-10.
Police said that unidentified people wrote “Delhi Banega Khalistan” and “Khalistan Zindabad” on the walls of the metro stations, which are Shivaji Park, Madipur, Paschim Vihar, Udyog Nagar, and Maharaja Surajmal Stadium. A wall of a government school in Nangloi was also found defaced.
CCTV footage of the areas near the five metro stations is being analysed to identify the miscreants, said police, adding that legal action has been initiated.
A police spokesperson told The Indian Express that an FIR was registered against unknown accused.
A purported video was released by the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) which showed the defaced walls of the metro stations.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, spokesperson for the SFJ, said in the video, “G20 nations, when you will be meeting in Delhi on September 10, we will be organising a Khalistan referendum in Canada.”
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said the issue has been reported to the concerned law and order agencies.
“Some objectionable graffiti has been observed on the outer walls of some of our metro stations on the Green Line. The issue has been reported to the concerned law and order agencies. All necessary cooperation is being extended to them from DMRC’s side,” said Anuj Dayal, principal executive director of corporate communication of DMRC, as quoted by PTI.
Earlier, on January 19, ahead of the Republic Day, Khalistan-related graffiti appeared on walls in some areas of west Delhi, including Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Paschim Vihar, and Peeragarhi, police said. The walls were painted with slogans like “Khalistan Zindabad” and “Referendum 2020”. Two men were arrested in connection with the case.