New Delhi: Three people, including a woman, have been arrested for allegedly painting pro-Khalistan graffiti at two Delhi Metro stations, Jahangirpuri and Shastri Nagar, police said. Investigators suspect the accused were acting on instructions from a handler linked to the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which allegedly promised them payment for carrying out the acts.
The graffiti was discovered near Gate No. 1 of Jahangirpuri Metro station on October 29 and on an inner staircase wall near Gate No. 2 of Shastri Nagar Metro station on October 30, according to the police.
The accused have been identified as Sumeet, 30, alias Raftar, a resident of Samalkha in Haryana’s Panipat district; Sumit Kumar, 22, alias Kaka, from Gurdaspur in Punjab; and Gurpreet, 22, a native of Hoshiarpur.
Police said the messages allegedly supported SFJ and its Khalistan agenda. The allegations are under investigation.
How police traced the three accused
According to investigators, the Punjab link emerged during the probe, which identified Sumit Kumar as the alleged mastermind. Police claimed he recruited the other two accused after being radicalised by individuals supporting SFJ and Khalistan ideology in Ludhiana and Gurdaspur.
Investigators suspect that an alleged SFJ handler initially contacted Sumit through WhatsApp before moving the communication to an encrypted messaging platform. The handler allegedly supplied templates for the graffiti and promised a substantial payment for carrying out the operation at prominent Metro stations.
Police alleged that Sumit subsequently brought Sumeet and Gurpreet into the plan, and the three travelled to Delhi to carry it out.
Sumeet allegedly painted the graffiti at Jahangirpuri Metro station, recorded a video of the act and sent it to his handlers. Sumit and Gurpreet were allegedly involved in painting similar messages at Shastri Nagar Metro station.
Special Cell investigation leads to arrests in Punjab and Haryana
The Delhi Police Special Cell took over the investigation after two FIRs were registered at Metro police stations.
Using technical surveillance and analysis, investigators traced Sumeet to Samalkha and arrested him. Police said questioning him helped identify the other two accused, who were subsequently arrested in Punjab.
The police also said Sumit and Gurpreet had met around four years ago when she was working at a hotel in Samalkha and had later begun living together. Gurpreet had previously worked at a salon in Zirakpur and at hospitality establishments in Punjab and Haryana.
These details were cited by investigators as part of their account of the accused’s backgrounds.
Police probe separate graffiti incident near GTK Bypass
Investigators have also alleged that Sumit painted another pro-Khalistan message near GTK Bypass on October 30. That incident falls under the jurisdiction of Samaypur Badli police station and is being investigated separately.
Two FIRs have been registered in connection with the Metro station incidents. According to the police, the cases invoke Section 3 of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act, 2007, and Section 62(2) of the Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002.
The investigation is continuing, with police examining the alleged communications, the role of the suspected handler and the circumstances surrounding the graffiti.
