Police on Friday apprehended two people, including a juvenile, in connection with the pro-Khalistan slogans that appeared at three locations in Amritsar city on the intervening night between Wednesday and Thursday.
USA-based head of banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannu had claimed responsibility for the act in a video on social media, police said.
Amritsar Commissionerate Police cracked the graffiti case within 24 hours, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav.
Apart from the 17-year-old minor boy, the other accused is Jashanpreet Singh, 22, a resident of Dargabad village in Batala.
Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that the duo was in contact with foreign-based Shamsher Singh, alias Shera Maan, who directed them to carry out the act on Pannu’s instructions.
The accused sprayed the graffiti after receiving instructions and designs via social media mobile app Snapchat, but the promised payment was never made, he said.
Sharing more details, Amritsar commissioner of police (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the probe revealed that Jashanpreet, along with the minor, bought spray paint from Batala and executed the graffiti, later sharing photographs of the vandalism with Shera Maan as proof.
In this regard, three separate FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act at Cantonment, Division A and Civil Lines police stations.
{{/usCountry}}In this regard, three separate FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act at Cantonment, Division A and Civil Lines police stations.
{{/usCountry}}The DGP said further investigations were underway.