New Delhi, Nov 1 Three people, including a woman, have been arrested for allegedly defacing two Delhi Metro stations with pro-Khalistan graffiti on the directions of handlers linked with the banned Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) outfit, police said on Sunday.
The accused were allegedly promised substantial financial rewards for writing separatist slogans at prominent metro locations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya said in a statement.
The arrestees have been identified as Sumeet alias Raftar (30), a resident of Panipat in Haryana, and Sumit Kumar alias Kaka (22) and Gurpreet (22), both residents of Punjab.
Pro-Khalistan slogans were found near Gate No 1 of Jahangirpuri metro station on October 29. Similar graffiti was discovered on the inner wall of a staircase near Gate No 2 of Shastri Nagar metro station the following day, the officer said.
The slogans referred to SFJ and pro-Khalistan ideology and also contained a message threatening retaliation against those described as traitors to the community.
Police said the investigation led them to Sumeet. Further investigation revealed the involvement of two other accomplices based in Ludhiana, Punjab.
According to the DCP, Kumar was the alleged mastermind and had been radicalised by sympathisers of SFJ in Ludhiana and Gurdaspur. He was subsequently contacted by an associate who instructed him to download an encrypted messaging application to receive assignments.
A key SFJ member allegedly shared specific templates for the graffiti through the platform and offered Kumar substantial financial compensation for executing the task at prominent metro stations in Delhi.
Kumar then allegedly recruited Gurpreet and Sumeet to carry out the assignments.
“After arriving in Delhi, Sumeet allegedly went to Jahangirpuri metro station, painted the slogans, recorded a video of the act and sent it to his handlers. Kumar and Gurpreet allegedly carried out the second act of vandalism at Shastri Nagar metro station during the intervening night of October 28 and 29,” the officer said.
Police said Sumeet had come in contact with Kumar through online platforms.
Around a week before the incident, he visited Ludhiana, from where the trio travelled to Delhi in a taxi and reached ISBT Kashmere Gate on October 29.
Kumar allegedly instructed Sumeet to paint the graffiti at Jahangirpuri metro station, the DCP said.
During the investigation, police also established that Kumar and Gurpreet had known each other for around four years. Kumar had met her when she was working at a hotel in Samalkha, Panipat, and the two later started living together.
The investigation also revealed that Sumeet had allegedly painted graffiti near the GTK Bypass, under Samaypur Badli police station, on October 30. The incident is being investigated separately, the officer said.
Gurpreet had worked at a salon in Zirakpur in Punjab, besides being employed at various hospitality establishments in Punjab and Haryana.
“She had met Kumar through a mutual friend around four years ago. Kumar allegedly persuaded her to travel to Delhi on the pretext of a shopping trip, following which she was informed about the plan to deface metro property.
“Further investigation is underway to identify other persons involved in the network and establish the role of the handlers behind the alleged operation,” the officer said.
(PTI News)
